tyrannical
adjective
ty·ran·ni·cal
tə-ˈra-ni-kəl 
tī-
variants
or less commonly tyrannic
tə-ˈra-nik
tī-
Examples of tyrannical in a Sentence
Everyone was afraid of their overbearing and tyrannical boss.
a tyrannical ruler whose terrible reign was marked by unceasing violence
Recent Examples on the Web
And what can today’s resistance movements facing tyrannical regimes learn from their success?
—
John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
Howard plays himself as a tyrannical auteur who petulantly refuses to cut a vacuous scene from his overlong thriller, warding off pleas only to change his mind at the moment of truth.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Leaders who take this approach have a tyrannical, dictatorial style.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Now that’s someone who’ll shake up Alan Cumming’s tyrannical rule.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
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John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
Howard plays himself as a tyrannical auteur who petulantly refuses to cut a vacuous scene from his overlong thriller, warding off pleas only to change his mind at the moment of truth.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Leaders who take this approach have a tyrannical, dictatorial style.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Now that’s someone who’ll shake up Alan Cumming’s tyrannical rule.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrannical. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tyrannical
adjective
ty·ran·ni·cal
tə-ˈran-i-kəl
tī-
variants
also tyrannic
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a tyrant or tyranny
a tyrannical ruler
tyrannical rule
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