despot

noun

ˈde-spət How to pronounce despot (audio)
Definition of despotnext
as in tyrant
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way the despot exiled political dissidents to remote labor camps, where they were left to rot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of despot Of all the despots in the region, the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was perhaps the most ruthless in crushing dissent. — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 The paranoid despot is a familiar trope, in fairy tales and in fact. — Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026 In that instance, the notorious Cold War-era Romanian despot was quickly executed (with his wife) by military top brass while his former elites went on to run things under a nominally democratic system. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 The invisible power of the unelected despots of data and tech lords must be diminished; if families cannot control the disaster of digital addiction, states will have to legislate for them. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
  1. tyrant
  2. dictator
Noun
  • He got obsessed with building an empire, started Solar Productions, and became a tyrant both on set and off.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Plato warned that an unhealthy democracy can easily fall prey to a tyrant.
    — Kenneth Michael White, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tyrant
Noun
  • Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime dictator of Yemen, was overthrown during the Arab Spring and the Houthis were able to seize a large chunk of territory.
    — Ariana Aspuru, Vox, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Without principle, without a moral compass, with no checks and balances, our would-be-dictator is an embarrassing stain on the soul of a once-proud America.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictator

Browse Nearby Words

desponds
despot
despotic
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All