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
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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.
The Commodore had been named after Cornelius (the Commodore) Vanderbilt, the railway tycoon who had built Grand Central, in 1871. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian billionaire and steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, was director and co-owner at Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers for 18 years before stepping down from their board last week. — James Pearce, New York Times, 30 July 2026 The expansion into distribution in Benelux comes at a busy time for Pathé in the wake of its 2025 deal with French-Lebanese logistics tycoon Rodolphe Saadé, which saw his whose family holding company Merit France took a 20% stake in the studio. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 July 2026 That has created mounting public resistance as tech companies concentrate historic levels of wealth in the hands of a select group of tycoons. — ABC News, 23 July 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 6 Aug. 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"

More from Merriam-Webster on tycoon

Nglish: Translation of tycoon for Spanish Speakers

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