despot

Waleed Zuaiter’s Saddam suggests how charismatic a genocidal despot might be.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

But Lotso’s nihilism, borne from being accidentally abandoned and then replaced, made him a despicable despot, far removed from the good old days when he smelled like strawberries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has replaced three top officials in charge of his personal security, Seoul said Tuesday, a sign the despot may increasingly fear assassination plots.

From Barron's ● Jan. 13, 2026

By portraying Moses as an antidemocratic despot, Caro understates the extent to which his actions reflected the mainstream political thinking of the time.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2024

This convenient comparison is given extra poignancy by Beethoven’s reference to the French despot in his momentous third symphony, these days known as the Eroica but originally dubbed the Bonaparte.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

We don’t like despots and dictators and monarchs or anything smacking of royalty.

From Slate ● Feb. 16, 2026

Mr. Loconte outlines how their belief in the God-given dignity of man set them at odds with foreign despots and those in England with similar political designs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

Many of the leaders we put into power became despots we tolerated until they ran their course, like Panama’s Manuel Noriega.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 5, 2026

They are only a sticking point for would-be kings and despots who successfully deceive and subjugate the masses.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2025

Willoughby was rare—his preference to remain behind the scenes implied the absence of vast personal conceit, a trait essential for two-penny despots.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee