as in tyrant
formal
a person who is very strict and demands obedience from others
The prison's warden was a cruel martinet.
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Recent Examples of martinet
But Muir’s co-moderator, Linsey Davis, was a different case: Davis wore a mannish, gray suit jacket and struck a pose of martinet — almost schoolmarmish — solemnity.
—
Armond White, National Review, 20 Sep. 2024
There’s Cece’s father, long vanished; Ronnie, a predator; Marcel, a martinet; Joel, a manipulator; and a random catcaller in the street, whom Cece sends scurrying away by turning her acting skills to practical use.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
The patriarch of the soccer clan, Joe Morrone was known for his rigor, passion, sometimes showing itself on the sidelines in the form clipboards shattered over his knee, but the martinet had a gentler side as the grandfather to a young player — at least to some degree.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2024
Van Zweden, in turn, was a martinet specialist in the standards who seemed appealing as an about-face from Gilbert, less electric in the core repertory.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for martinet
Armond White, National Review, 20 Sep. 2024
There’s Cece’s father, long vanished; Ronnie, a predator; Marcel, a martinet; Joel, a manipulator; and a random catcaller in the street, whom Cece sends scurrying away by turning her acting skills to practical use.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
The patriarch of the soccer clan, Joe Morrone was known for his rigor, passion, sometimes showing itself on the sidelines in the form clipboards shattered over his knee, but the martinet had a gentler side as the grandfather to a young player — at least to some degree.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Apr. 2024
Van Zweden, in turn, was a martinet specialist in the standards who seemed appealing as an about-face from Gilbert, less electric in the core repertory.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for martinet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martinet
Noun
-
When a tyrant falls, we may be tempted to imagine a final moment of tragic self-awareness—a personal reckoning, like Oedipus blinding himself, or Macbeth raging on the heath.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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Ruling like a petty tyrant from the company’s headquarters in lower Manhattan, Coplan isn’t an easy boss to work with, according to new reporting by the Wall Street Journal.—
Joe Wilkins Published Feb 4,
Futurism,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its focus soon shifted to ousting dictator Slobodan Milosevic, using mass demonstrations and a general strike across the provinces to make its point.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Thousands of Libyans gathered Friday to mourn Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late dictator, at his funeral in northwestern Libya.—
Yousef Murad,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
27 Aug. 2025
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Considering his managers at Leeds included disciplinarians such as Wilkinson and George Graham, this was probably for the best.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
The behind-the-scenes footage of the series, some of it previously unaired, allows viewers to see Walsh’s full range — erudite professor, taskmaster, West Coast offense wizard and comic cut-up.—
Daniel Brown,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Guardiola was always a stern taskmaster with Sane, never overly praising him and often reeling back giddy reporters keen to hype the German star.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Martinet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martinet. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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