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
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
Mark Malloch-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentates
Noun
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Finally, some inscriptions seem to indicate strong alliances or diplomatic ties with other Mayan rulers, a critical detail given that Cobá was a major urban center for centuries.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Oct. 2025
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Plus, with the new win, Yankee ties Bad Bunny with 29 rulers, the fourth-most following J Balvin (39), Ozuna (36) and Enrique Iglesias (32).—
Pamela Bustios,
Billboard,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As part of Columbus’s mission, the monarchs urged him to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity, search for more gold, and develop trading relations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
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Similarly, if native milkweed doesn’t go dormant in time to prompt monarch butterflies to migrate to overwintering sites, the monarchs may be endangered.—
Alice Cason,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, has similarly dropped into deep curtsies when meeting other sovereigns on trips abroad.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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Wall Street, institutions and even sovereigns are migrating infrastructure onto the blockchain and ETH is well positioned to capture value through various channels.—
Todd Gordon,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ohio Renaissance Festival final weekend Transport yourself back in time to the days where kings and queens ruled at Ohio Renaissance Festival.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Oct. 2025
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Stewart compared Trump with several past kings, finding the president lacking in his royal tendencies.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Potentates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potentates. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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