# baron

/ˈbæɹən/ (US) · /bˈæɹən/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/baron
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a person who has a lot of power and influence in a specific industry. You use this to describe someone who controls a large business empire.

For teachers: a person of great power, influence, or wealth within a specific field of commerce or industry. Often used metaphorically to describe industrial magnates.

## Examples

- The local oil baron owns most of the land in this town.
- The media baron expanded his influence by purchasing several regional newspapers and a national television station.
- Historians often debate whether the nineteenth-century rail barons were visionary builders of infrastructure or merely ruthless opportunists who exploited their workers.

## Usage notes

- Commonly paired with a specific industry, such as 'press baron', 'robber baron', or 'drug baron'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.