overlord

noun

over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯrd 

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 

ˌō-vər-ˈlȯrd-

noun

Examples of overlord in a Sentence

He is the overlord of the underground gambling industry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Marvin’s snake of a drug lord brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu), has a score to settle: His outfit’s legal eagle, Rose (Ariana DeBose), has stolen from him, though the money belongs to Russian overlords who make an 11th-hour appearance. —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025

Zeus The hot-headed, thunderbolt-wielding, amorous overlord of Olympus. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025

Our tech overlords—Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos—were there at the rotunda to support the forty-seventh President’s message. —Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025

But this weekend felt a little extra on the nose, like the football overlords were pouring salt in the wound of Cowboys fans. —Saad Yousuf, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

overlord

noun

over·​lord ˈō-vər-ˌlȯ(ə)rd 

1

: a lord who rules over other lords

2

: an absolute or supreme ruler