as in rulers
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 potentates
Biden put this sentiment into action by working with Netanyahu despite serious moral and political failures in Gaza, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on NATO expansion, and with Gulf potentates on the region’s security architecture.
—
James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
James Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentates
Noun
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Singh died in 1839, and the Punjabi throne faced frequent changing of rulers for four years until Duleep Singh, a young boy, and his mother, Rani Jindan were left to take over.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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The ensuing rulers, the Joseon monarchy, did their predecessors one better.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Officials recently unveiled the discovery of an 11th-century wax seal belonging to one of the most influential monarchs in English history.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Continental Legacy features comforting meals that India’s monarchs would have served their visiting guests from the continent, going from a Velouté de Morilles to an English trifle pudding.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Edward, known for his strong piety, is also distinguished as one of the few English kings to be canonized.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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People too often imagine the Church as having played second fiddle in colonial history, jumping on opportunities opened up by the actions of kings, navigators, and merchants.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Potentates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potentates. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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