English > potentate: 1 sense > noun 1, person | Meaning | A ruler who is unconstrained by law. |
|---|
| Synonym | dictator |
|---|
| Instances | Duvalier, Francois Duvalier, Papa Doc | oppressive Haitian dictator (1907-1971) |
|---|
| Duvalier, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Baby Doc | son and successor of Francois Duvalier as president of Haiti |
| Franco, Francisco Franco, El Caudillo, General Franco | Spanish general whose armies took control of Spain in 1939 and who ruled as a dictator until his death (1892-1975) |
| Hitler, Adolf Hitler, Der Fuhrer | German Nazi dictator during World War II (1889-1945) |
| Mussolini, Benito Mussolini, Il Duce | Italian fascist dictator (1883-1945) |
| Tojo, Tojo Hideki, Tojo Eiki | Japanese army officer who initiated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and who assumed dictatorial control of Japan during World War II |
| Narrower | shogun | A hereditary military dictator of Japan |
|---|
| strongman | A powerful political figure who rules by the exercise of force or violence |
| tyrant, autocrat, despot | A cruel and oppressive dictator |
| Broader | ruler, swayer | A person who rules or commands |
|---|
| Spanish | autócrata, déspota, dictador, líder, potentado, tirana, tirano |
|---|
| Catalan | dictador, potentat |
|---|
