1
a
: a male monarch of a major territorial unit
especially
: one whose position is hereditary and who rules for life
b
: a paramount chief
2
3
: one that holds a preeminent position
especially
: a chief among competitors
the cattle kings rode up from the south —
Alan Moorehead
Alan Moorehead even if no longer king, cotton remains the chief cash crop —Howell Walker
Howell Walker 4
: the principal piece of each color in chess having the power to move ordinarily one square in any direction and to capture opposing pieces but being obliged never to enter or remain in check
5
: a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a king
6
: a checker that has been crowned
7
Synonyms
Examples of king in a Sentence
He pledged his loyalty to the king and queen.
the reign of King James
He became king at a young age.
He's widely regarded as the king of soul music.
He was voted king of the prom.
The lion is known as the king of the jungle.
She won the game by checkmating his king.
Recent Examples on the Web
Back at Lallybroch, Claire and Jamie maneuver the shocked reactions of his family as Claire calmly shares her intel on how this upcoming revolution will result in the rich being persecuted and the king and queen being beheaded.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 23 Nov. 2024
That year was in the middle of the Interregnum, a period when Britain was a republic without a king.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
In 2021, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group pledged to commit to the king’s Terra Carta, a mandate that puts sustainability at the heart of the private sector.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
After Andrew reportedly refused to downsize, the king axed his allowance.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for king 
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Lincee Ray, EW.com, 23 Nov. 2024
That year was in the middle of the Interregnum, a period when Britain was a republic without a king.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
In 2021, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group pledged to commit to the king’s Terra Carta, a mandate that puts sustainability at the heart of the private sector.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
After Andrew reportedly refused to downsize, the king axed his allowance.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for king
Articles Related to king
Dictionary Entries Near king
Cite this Entry
“King.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/king. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
king
noun1
: a male ruler of a country who usually inherits his position and rules for life
2
: a chief among competitors
an oil king
3
: the chief piece in the game of chess
4
: a playing card bearing the figure of a king
5
: a piece in the game of checkers that has reached the opponent's back row and has been crowned
Biographical Definition
King 1 of 8
biographical name (1)
B. B. 1925–2015 originally Riley B. King American blues musician
King
2 of 8biographical name (2)
Billie Jean 1943– née Moffitt American tennis player
King
3 of 8biographical name (3)
Ernest Joseph 1878–1956 American admiral
King
4 of 8biographical name (4)
Martin Luther, Jr. 1929–1968 American clergyman and civil rights leader
King
5 of 8biographical name (5)
Rufus 1755–1827 American politician and diplomat
King
6 of 8biographical name (6)
Stephen (Edwin) 1947– American writer
King
7 of 8biographical name (7)
William Lyon Mackenzie 1874–1950 Canadian statesman; prime minister (1921–26; 1926–30; 1935–48)
King
8 of 8biographical name (8)
William Rufus de Vane 1786–1853 American politician; vice president of the U.S. (1853)
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