Meaning & use

potentate

noun·Advanced

A ruler or monarch, especially one with great power and few restraints on authority.

See it in a sentence

The old sultan ruled as an absolute potentate over the desert kingdom.

History remembers him as a ruthless potentate who crushed any hint of rebellion.

A note on using this word

Potentate often carries a slightly negative or ironic tone, suggesting excessive or unchecked power.

Words with a similar meaning

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