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Definition of warlord

warlord

/ˈwɔːrˌlɔːrd/
war · lord
Plural:warlords
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warlord Lexical Profile

warlord Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A military commander who exercises de facto autonomous power over a subnational region through personal loyalty of armed forces, especially when the central government is weak or fractured.

Example

"Following the collapse of the imperial dynasty, regional warlords competed for control over the provinces."

2

A supreme military leader or national ruler who pursues an aggressive, militaristic foreign policy.

Example

"Historians debated whether the emperor acted as a cautious diplomat or an ambitious warlord."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

warless
warlike
warlock
warlord
warlordism
warm
warmaker

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-19th century as a compound of 'war' and 'lord', likely influenced as a loan translation of the German 'Kriegsherr' (supreme military commander) and later used to translate the Chinese term 'jūnfá' during the Republican era.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Warlord. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/warlord
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