warlord

noun

war·​lord ˈwȯr-ˌlȯrd How to pronounce warlord (audio)
1
: a supreme military leader
2
: a military commander exercising civil power by force usually in a limited area
warlordism noun

Examples of warlord in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape. Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Leader Chiang Kai-shek, who had been able to loosely unite China’s warlords under a central government, later hired American Claire Chennault, a retired US Army captain, to form an air force. Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025 The roster of characters included powerful gods who frequently meddled in the affairs of mortals for their own entertainment and the villagers, warlords, and fighters who kept Xena and Gabrielle on their toes in every episode. Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025 Except for this one man, the evidence of the warlords and Japan going crazy had been horribly apparent. Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for warlord

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of warlord was in 1856

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Cite this Entry

“Warlord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warlord. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

warlord

noun
1
: an important military leader
2
: a military leader who governs an area by force

More from Merriam-Webster on warlord

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