tycoon

noun

ty·​coon tī-ˈkün How to pronounce tycoon (audio)
Synonyms of tycoon
1
a
: a businessperson of exceptional wealth, power, and influence : magnate
b
: a top leader (as in politics)
2
: shogun

Synonyms of tycoon

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Examples of tycoon in a Sentence

an oil tycoon who's widely considered the most powerful man in the county
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the heady satire about elites causing worldwide climate destruction, Cruise plays the titular Digger Rockwell, an out-of-touch oil tycoon. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 The backstory Personas in the hotel’s backstory include a Thai rockstar-slash-antiques collector, a devout Buddhist business tycoon, and a superstar designer. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 The film stars Cruise as an aging oil tycoon whose drilling operations trigger a catastrophic climate change disaster. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 The film sees Cruise (in heavy prosthetics) play the titular oil tycoon whose company is responsible for an environmental disaster. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tycoon

Word History

Etymology

Japanese taikun

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tycoon was in 1857

Rhymes for tycoon

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Browse Nearby Words

Tychy
tycoon
tydden
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Cite this Entry

“Tycoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tycoon. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tycoon

noun
ty·​coon tī-ˈkün How to pronounce tycoon (audio)
: a very wealthy and powerful business person
Etymology

Japanese taikun "shogun"

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