robber baron

noun

1
: an American capitalist of the latter part of the 19th century who became wealthy through exploitation (as of natural resources, governmental influence, or low wage scales)
2
: a business owner or executive who acquires wealth through ethically questionable tactics

Examples of robber baron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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More than a century ago, the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts. The New York Times, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 The Gilded Age, the robber barons, and the Wall Street crash of 1929 had driven home concerns that concentrated economic power resulted in concentrated political power, which in turn threatened democracy itself. Katherine Tai, Foreign Affairs, 9 Jan. 2025 Authenticity was hot, hot, hot: the Rothschilds who hired Samson had been satisfied with shiny new furniture in the style of the eighteenth century, but the robber barons adding to Asher’s fortune wanted to pad their pedigrees with originals. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2024 The western elements of 1923 sit side by side with stories about politicians and robber barons. Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for robber baron 

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of robber baron was in 1878

Dictionary Entries Near robber baron

Cite this Entry

“Robber baron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robber%20baron. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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