Thesaurus results for POTENTATE

potentate

noun

ˈpō-tᵊn-ˌtāt

as in ruler

one who rules over a people with a sole, supreme, and usually hereditary authority Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father

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 potentate Maybe bringing in the charity will boost the power of a local potentate. —

Leif Wenar, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024 In early-modern Europe, the Medicis and other potentates created what were the microfinance schemes of their time, lending small sums of money to poor citizens. —

Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024 Though often fraught in the execution in the abstract the position of Jews within pre-modern political units was not controversial; Jews were subjects with obligations, often a useful minority for potentates. —

Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2010 The result was that Hollywood sold its gems as costume jewelry, not through mercenary cynicism but because the studio potentates were no more aware of the enduring art being produced under their aegis than were critics or, for that matter, viewers. —

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for potentate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentate

Noun

Many Christian clerics and secular rulers in western Europe believed that the popes needed to return to Rome, to distance papal authority from French influence.

— Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
After all, cats may not think of themselves as 'cats' but as rulers of their kingdoms, so perhaps being allergic to one's subjects isn't so surprising.

— Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025