hegemon
noun
heg·e·mon
ˈhe-jə-ˌmän 
ˈhē-
: something (such as a political state) having dominant influence or authority over others : one possessing hegemony
These were the periods in which England and then America filled the role of hegemon …—
Robert Heilbroner
Robert HeilbronerThe American self-image of a mighty power that is also a benign hegemon, the global custodian of democratic values and human rights, is deeply rooted.—Allister Sparks
Allister SparksExamples of hegemon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For some, the current crisis with Greenland results from the collapsing self-confidence of a declining hegemon, the United States.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The world, after trying in vain to placate its predatory hegemon, now seems to have started the hard work of rebalancing.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026
The more American power must be constrained, the more Washington will have to excel at persuasion, the obligatory pursuit of countries that are not hegemons.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
This recrudescence of wolf warrior diplomacy is counterproductive and enables Japan to depict China as the bullying hegemon.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025
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Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The world, after trying in vain to placate its predatory hegemon, now seems to have started the hard work of rebalancing.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 22 Jan. 2026
The more American power must be constrained, the more Washington will have to excel at persuasion, the obligatory pursuit of countries that are not hegemons.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2025
This recrudescence of wolf warrior diplomacy is counterproductive and enables Japan to depict China as the bullying hegemon.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hegemon
Cite this Entry
“Hegemon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemon. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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