1
a
: a male monarch of a major territorial unit
especially
: one whose position is hereditary and who rules for life
b
: a paramount chief
2
3
: one that holds a preeminent position
especially
: a chief among competitors
the cattle kings rode up from the south —
Alan Moorehead
Alan Moorehead even if no longer king, cotton remains the chief cash crop —Howell Walker
Howell Walker 4
: the principal piece of each color in chess having the power to move ordinarily one square in any direction and to capture opposing pieces but being obliged never to enter or remain in check
5
: a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a king
6
: a checker that has been crowned
7
Synonyms
Examples of king in a Sentence
He pledged his loyalty to the king and queen.
the reign of King James
He became king at a young age.
He's widely regarded as the king of soul music.
He was voted king of the prom.
The lion is known as the king of the jungle.
She won the game by checkmating his king.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kirby Smart is now the clear king of SEC football coaches and probably No. 1 in the nation.
—Marc Weiszer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Without a son to inherit the king’s throne, the five tribes across the land fiercely battle for power.
—Marc Berman, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Facebook, once the king of social media sites for teens, is now used by just around a third of teens.
—Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 17 Dec. 2024
Spain’s far-flung empire, arguably the world’s most powerful, had seriously wobbled in the 1640s — and so had the king’s family life.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for king 
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Marc Weiszer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Without a son to inherit the king’s throne, the five tribes across the land fiercely battle for power.
—Marc Berman, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Facebook, once the king of social media sites for teens, is now used by just around a third of teens.
—Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 17 Dec. 2024
Spain’s far-flung empire, arguably the world’s most powerful, had seriously wobbled in the 1640s — and so had the king’s family life.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for king
Articles Related to king
Dictionary Entries Near king
Cite this Entry
“King.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/king. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
king
noun1
: a male ruler of a country who usually inherits his position and rules for life
2
: a chief among competitors
an oil king
3
: the chief piece in the game of chess
4
: a playing card bearing the figure of a king
5
: a piece in the game of checkers that has reached the opponent's back row and has been crowned
Biographical Definition
King 1 of 8
biographical name (1)
B. B. 1925–2015 originally Riley B. King American blues musician
King
2 of 8biographical name (2)
Billie Jean 1943– née Moffitt American tennis player
King
3 of 8biographical name (3)
Ernest Joseph 1878–1956 American admiral
King
4 of 8biographical name (4)
Martin Luther, Jr. 1929–1968 American clergyman and civil rights leader
King
5 of 8biographical name (5)
Rufus 1755–1827 American politician and diplomat
King
6 of 8biographical name (6)
Stephen (Edwin) 1947– American writer
King
7 of 8biographical name (7)
William Lyon Mackenzie 1874–1950 Canadian statesman; prime minister (1921–26; 1926–30; 1935–48)
King
8 of 8biographical name (8)
William Rufus de Vane 1786–1853 American politician; vice president of the U.S. (1853)
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