Mugabe

American

[moo-gah-bee, -bey] / muˈgɑ bi, -beɪ /

noun

Robert (Gabriel), 1924–2019, Zimbabwean political leader: prime minister 1980–87; president 1987–2017.

Mugabe British

/ mʊˈɡɑːbɪ /

noun

Robert. born 1925, Zimbabwean politician; leader of one wing of the Patriotic Front against the government of Ian Smith of Rhodesia, and of the Zanu party; prime minister (1980–87); president from 1987

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Her plans fell apart when Mugabe was deposed after he sacked then Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa in November 2017.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Appearing in court, dressed in black, Mugabe looked calm during the proceedings.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Mnangagwa came to power in 2017 in a military-backed coup that ousted Robert Mugabe, who ruled the southern African country for 37 years.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

He draws parallels with Zimbabwe's former President Robert Mugabe, who clung to power into his 90s before being removed by the military.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

“We have now decided to narrow the support to only vulnerable refugees,” Geoffrey Mugabe, a senior official in the Ugandan prime minister’s office, said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023