overlord

noun

over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯrd How to pronounce overlord (audio)
1
: a lord over other lords : a lord paramount
2
a
: an absolute or supreme ruler
b
: one having great power or authority
a corporate overlord
overlordship
ˈō-vər-ˌlȯrd-ˌship How to pronounce overlord (audio)
ˌō-vər-ˈlȯrd-
noun

Examples of overlord in a Sentence

He is the overlord of the underground gambling industry.
Recent Examples on the Web My fears are somewhat different than some of the people who are worried about AI overlords and things like that. Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 21 Feb. 2024 At a minimum, the tech overlords would get credit for stepping into the gladiatorial arena. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2024 Still, perhaps Brooker is underestimating our future overlords. EW.com, 18 Oct. 2023 In it, the film’s hero, Jonathan E., is a star athlete who’s willing to risk his own life to avoid being a pawn for his corporate overlords. Matthew Jordan, The Conversation, 1 Feb. 2024 The rise of Generative AI may spark anxieties about job displacement or robotic overlords. Zafar Daud, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2024 My corporate overlords don’t get everything right, but bagel Monday is an indisputable office-wide hit. Bon Appétit Contributor, Bon Appétit, 11 Jan. 2024 Dozens of states in Asia and Africa threw off colonial overlords. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 10 Dec. 2023 However, these priorities aren’t necessarily shared by Pakistan’s military overlords, who may be backing Sharif today but have engineered his ouster thrice in the past—once via a coup d’état. Charlie Campbell, TIME, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overlord.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overlord was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near overlord

Cite this Entry

“Overlord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overlord. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overlord

noun
over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯ(ə)rd How to pronounce overlord (audio)
1
: a lord who rules over other lords
2
: an absolute or supreme ruler

More from Merriam-Webster on overlord

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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