kingmaker
noun
king·mak·er
ˈkiŋ-ˌmā-kər 
: one having great influence over the choice of candidates for political office
Examples of kingmaker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Getty Images The AfD is poised to play kingmaker in any coalition emerging from elections in Germany next week.
—
Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The mogul has cast himself as kingmaker in the populist wave that is submerging multiple centrist European leaders.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
The appointment was a win for Silicon Valley and part of a big night for Thiel, the tech kingmaker and GOP megadonor, the N.Y. Times' Teddy Schleifer points out.
—Mike Allen, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
While the AfD will see themselves as potential kingmakers, the CDU/CSU may be unwilling to give them such a prominent voice in running the country.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for kingmaker
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.
Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The mogul has cast himself as kingmaker in the populist wave that is submerging multiple centrist European leaders.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
The appointment was a win for Silicon Valley and part of a big night for Thiel, the tech kingmaker and GOP megadonor, the N.Y. Times' Teddy Schleifer points out.
—Mike Allen, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
While the AfD will see themselves as potential kingmakers, the CDU/CSU may be unwilling to give them such a prominent voice in running the country.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for kingmaker
Cite this Entry
“Kingmaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kingmaker. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share