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drug lord

American  
[druhg lawrd] / ˈdrʌg ˌlɔrd /

noun

  • drug lords
    plural
  1. the head of an organization or network involved in illegal drug trafficking.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of drug lord

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Bryan Cranston transitioned from befuddled dad Hal to lethal drug lord Walter White in “Breaking Bad.”

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 10, 2026

President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled the country's security plan less than two weeks after an explosion of violence in Guadalajara, and other parts of the country, triggered by the death of a notorious drug lord.

From Barron's Mar. 6, 2026

Emilia Pérez, about a Mexican drug lord who changes gender, has 13 nominations in total - although one of its stars, Selena Gomez, missed out.

From BBC Jan. 23, 2025

Suárez was also in charge of the Metastasis case involving an Ecuadorian drug lord who allegedly received favorable treatment from judges, prosecutors, police officers and high officials.

From Seattle Times Jan. 17, 2024

Animal sanctuary facilities in India and Mexico have agreed to take in 70 invasive African hippopotamuses that descend from those once owned by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

From Washington Times Mar. 2, 2023

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