as in monarch
one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority
the aging ruler agonized over the choice of an heir
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruler
The latest execution comes as Iran's hardline Islamic clerical rulers face the most significant domestic unrest seen in the country in several years.
—
Emmet Lyons, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Spring will be extra flirty and fun as Venus enters Gemini on April 24, followed by your disruptive celestial ruler, Uranus, on April 25.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Taken together, Rubio’s remarks offer the clearest public picture yet of how Washington intends to use oil, sanctions and political incentives not just to pressure Venezuela’s rulers, but to actively manage the country’s path out of crisis.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
In 1483, Ashikaga Yoshimasa – Japan’s military ruler, or shogun, who was also a patron of the arts, constructed one of the earliest tearooms.
—The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruler
Emmet Lyons, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Spring will be extra flirty and fun as Venus enters Gemini on April 24, followed by your disruptive celestial ruler, Uranus, on April 25.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Taken together, Rubio’s remarks offer the clearest public picture yet of how Washington intends to use oil, sanctions and political incentives not just to pressure Venezuela’s rulers, but to actively manage the country’s path out of crisis.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
In 1483, Ashikaga Yoshimasa – Japan’s military ruler, or shogun, who was also a patron of the arts, constructed one of the earliest tearooms.
—The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruler
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruler
Noun
-
The latter event is purely ceremonial and marks the beginning of a parliamentary session, which cannot begin until the monarch gives his or her speech.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
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Going back to the early years of the Revolution, Washington occupied the position left vacant by the English monarch, one George succeeding another.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The doctrine is both a reasonable tactical reaction to threatening events and a vivid personal reflection of Trump the wannabe emperor, committed to self-extolling, national expansion and personal and national wealth.—
John Brummett,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
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The retooling emperor has been disrobed and rightly ridiculed by those far enough removed from the halls of power to speak plainly, the truth now apparent for all to see.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The speech, however, is not actually written by the sovereign, but rather by the government.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
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Wurman argued that English common law established protection under a sovereign as a necessary condition to citizenship.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
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For centuries, the kings and queens of the Netherlands have been buried in the church, beginning with William of Orange in 1584.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruler. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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