robber baron

noun

: an American capitalist of the latter part of the 19th century who became wealthy through exploitation (as of natural resources, governmental influence, or low wage scales)

: a business owner or executive who acquires wealth through ethically questionable tactics

Examples of robber baron in a Sentence

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Things could change: the robber barons of the Gilded Age were eventually brought down; twentieth-century industrial tyrants were, over time, shamed into retreat. —

Charles Duhigg, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 Stewart called Goldstein a robber baron while forgetting the show was live. —

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024 The rampant capitalism practiced by robber barons such as Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and John Rockefeller over a century ago was ultimately checked by government measures to protect consumers, workers, and market competition. —

Tom Wheeler, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024 But Cahokia is surrounded by American robber barons eager to destroy its hierarchy and appropriate its treasures. —

Mary Ann Gwinn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for robber baron