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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despot
In 1996, the end of the Cold War had radically altered the dynamics propping up a generation of African despots.
—
Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
This notion probably came as news to Zelenskyy, who has spent three years now contending with what seems to us a much bigger threat to Europe, Russia’s armed forces and the despot willing to use them to further his designs.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025
That's what a despot - who wants to steal the taxpayers money to enrich his billionaire cabal - does.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Without outside help or with the wrong kind of foreign aid, Syria will be more likely to slide back into civil war or come under the thumb of another despot.
—Nafees Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
This notion probably came as news to Zelenskyy, who has spent three years now contending with what seems to us a much bigger threat to Europe, Russia’s armed forces and the despot willing to use them to further his designs.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025
That's what a despot - who wants to steal the taxpayers money to enrich his billionaire cabal - does.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Without outside help or with the wrong kind of foreign aid, Syria will be more likely to slide back into civil war or come under the thumb of another despot.
—Nafees Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despot
Noun
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Serena's reluctant to put a target on her husband's head, so June happily reminds her that Gabriel's a tyrant not fit to raise Noah.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
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By the end of the finale episode, Kingpin has essentially taken control of the entire city and the Punisher is kidnapped by the corrupt police but Daredevil is assembling his own army to combat the tyrant.—
Skyler Trepel,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Satellite imagery captured what remained of a mangled 5,000-ton North Korean naval destroyer damaged during its launch ceremony this week, leaving the country's dictator distraught.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
24 May 2025
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After the dictator fell, it was made Paraguay’s official language, along with Spanish.—
Graciela Mochkofsky,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despot. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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