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
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Recent Examples of potentate
The cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, dated Feb. 21, 1925, carried no portraits of potentates or tycoons, no headlines, no come-ons.
—
Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
This was a violin in full command of its considerable powers, a violin capable of enchanting the most powerful potentate in the land and persuading him to do its bidding.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2024
This must remain a country that rejects princes or potentates.
—Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for potentate
Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony?
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
This was a violin in full command of its considerable powers, a violin capable of enchanting the most powerful potentate in the land and persuading him to do its bidding.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2024
This must remain a country that rejects princes or potentates.
—Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for potentate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentate
Noun
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Every ruler, every plan, every prophecy has been tested against the unruly currents of human will and the undertow of chance.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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The song is the act’s second ruler and first sung by Jakob Nowell, son of late frontman Bradley Nowell.—
Kevin Rutherford,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And in 2016, Hadid was the first woman to win the RIBA Gold Medal, which recognizes an individual’s substantial contributions to international architecture on behalf of the British monarch.—
Mae Hamilton,
AFAR Media,
9 Sep. 2025
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The monarchs of the Arab Gulf would like to maintain their unchallenged domestic political status while expanding their influence in the Middle East and beyond.—
David Mednicoff,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Around the same time, William and Kate attended a commemorative event for the late sovereign less than 10 miles away in Sunningdale.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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Credit rating agencies are sharpening their focus on climate vulnerability, raising questions about whether sectors or sovereigns with large protection gaps could face higher borrowing costs.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Potentate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potentate. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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