overlord
n.a powerful person who has control or authority over many others. You often hear this word in history stories or in science fiction when talking about a cruel leader.
n.a person of great power or authority who exercises control over others, especially in a feudal or hierarchical system. Often carries a connotation of absolute or oppressive rule.
“The local people had to pay taxes to their new overlord.”
“In many fantasy novels, a dark overlord attempts to conquer the surrounding kingdoms through military force.”
“The historical transition from local tribal leaders to a centralized overlord often involved complex shifts in land ownership and legal jurisdiction.”
Often used metaphorically in modern contexts to describe dominant corporations or tech giants.
“But there are technical challenges: AI agents make lots of decisions very fast, and so it's hard for their human overlords to monitor exactly which values are being followed and which aren't.”