kingmaker

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The late ayatollah over the years weeded out potential clerical rivals, including former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who played kingmaker when Khamenei was selected as supreme leader in 1989.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

By the late 2000s, the media had fully embraced Kennedy’s role as the court’s kingmaker.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2025

"Every project, every sector, corruption is there," says Volcere, an electoral outlier but potential second-round kingmaker.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

“As much as Rupert has pumped up Trump World over the last 10 years, Rupert really sees himself as the kingmaker — not the lackey,” Kahn said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2025

In later years, I discovered that my father was not only an adviser to kings but a kingmaker.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela