Vocabulary in context
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Despot
An absolute ruler who wields unrestricted power; a tyrant.
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Imagine This
There was once a school principle who insisted on a lot of homework but against sporting activities for his students. He is indeed a tyrant.
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Sounds Like
DES-pət
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Looks Like
Looks visually like the word itself; related to despotism
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Remember This
From Greek despótēs meaning 'master, lord'.
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Other Forms
despotismnoun
despoticadjective
despoticallyadverb
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Connect With
tyrant, autocrat, dictator, oppression, tyranny, authoritarianism
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Note
Despot refers to an individual with unchecked authority. Despotism is the system or practice of absolute rule by a despot; despotic describes the characteristic of such rule.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The cruel despot ruled the province with an iron fist.
- Citizens lived in fear under the despot's decrees.
Synonyms
tyrantautocratdictatoroppressor
Antonyms
liberatorreformerdemocrat
Etymology
From Greek despótēs meaning 'master, lord'.
Mnemonic
DESPOT stands for Dreaded Executive Seizes Power Over Tyranny.
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Disintegrate
verbTo break into small pieces; to lose cohesion or integrity; to crumble or decay.
Contiguous
adjectiveTouching or sharing a common border; adjacent or directly next to something with no gap between them.
Lackadaisical
adjectiveLacking enthusiasm, energy, or effort; showing little interest or determination.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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