variants
also tyrannic
1
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a tyrannical ruler whose terrible reign was marked by unceasing violence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
even when he was still a toddler, he tended to be a tyrannical playmate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of tyrannical
The film, based on Georges Simenon’s 1950 novel, stars Depardieu as a celebrated but tyrannical actor grappling with personal and professional decline.
—
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
What is the character of those who bear false witness and favor Russia’s tyrannical lies over Ukrainians’ unalienable rights?
—Mark Sandy, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent the kind of tyrannical rule that the colonies fought to free themselves from.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
The tyrannical showrunner, Cal, is our victim of the week, done in by his (in her mind) long-suffering leading lady, Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf, what a get!), who finally has a chance to put her classical training to work in a production of Macbeth in London.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
What is the character of those who bear false witness and favor Russia’s tyrannical lies over Ukrainians’ unalienable rights?
—Mark Sandy, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent the kind of tyrannical rule that the colonies fought to free themselves from.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
The tyrannical showrunner, Cal, is our victim of the week, done in by his (in her mind) long-suffering leading lady, Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf, what a get!), who finally has a chance to put her classical training to work in a production of Macbeth in London.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
-
The Collector is also hoping these will satiate the growing wants of his oppressive overlord, The Forger (Roddy Ricch), who has mysterious motives of his own.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Carrie is described as a reimagining of the story of misfit high-schooler Carrie White, who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Perhaps most frustrating to Mainers: the domineering influence of Boston in the state’s government.—
Made by History,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
His parents were Italian immigrants who fled Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime, and his grandmother Rosa Margherita Vassallo di Bergoglio was active in Catholic Action, formed by Italian bishops who wanted to maintain their independence from Mussolini’s authoritarian rule.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been called an authoritarian, and previous reports have noted restrictions to civil liberties.—
Graham Smith,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Following a masterful opening round at Augusta National, round one leader Justin Rose came back to earth on Friday, allowing much of the field to move within striking distance heading to the weekend.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Though White occasionally fell short tying together all the threads — a few songs ambled deep into the weeds and nearly suffocated from their complexity — his masterful guitar techniques and kinetic vocals made the detours worthwhile.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Very Territorial Caterpillar Mr. Trump’s autocratic tendencies and disregard for constitutional norms are well documented.—
Peter Baker,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
-
The Democrats lost an election to someone with autocratic tendencies who has expressed endless racist, bigoted, and misogynistic beliefs.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
It was first created in 1942 specifically to serve as a foil to Axis disinformation and over the years became a beacon of hope to people living under all manner of totalitarian and despotic governments.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2025
-
The notion that these companies were sovereign enclaves of pitilessly despotic geniuses is a myth of recent vintage.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The responses, submitted by a fairly arbitrary group of women, range from profound to half-hearted.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Too many leaders seek to lead down by being authoritative, by pushing dictates on people and relentlessly driving forward toward arbitrary goals and deadlines.—
Andrew Deutscher,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele may have found the best description for Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s new approach to dictatorial regimes: a laughing emoji.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Mercury News,
12 Apr. 2025
-
In late March, Ahmad al-Shara, Syria’s new leader, introduced a caretaker government that would supervise the country’s transition from five decades of dictatorial rule.—
Jerome Drevon,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share