tyranny

noun

tyr·​an·​ny ˈtir-ə-nē 

plural tyrannies

1

: oppressive power

every form of tyranny over the mind of man

—Thomas Jefferson

especially : oppressive power exerted by government

the tyranny of a police state

2

a

: a government in which absolute power is vested in a single ruler

especially : one characteristic of an ancient Greek city-state

b

: the office, authority, and administration of a tyrant

3

: a rigorous condition imposed by some outside agency or force

living under the tyranny of the clock

—Dixon Wecter

4

: an oppressive, harsh, or unjust act : a tyrannical act

workers who had suffered tyrannies

Synonyms

• absolutism
• autarchy
• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• Caesarism
• czarism
• tsarism
• tzarism
• despotism
• dictatorship
• totalism
• totalitarianism

Examples of tyranny in a Sentence

Cars freed Americans, already infamous for their mobility, from the tyranny of train schedules. —Cynthia Crossen, Wall Street Journal, 7 May 2003

Berlin remains a central attraction, and the evanescence of tyranny is a highlight of the visit. —William F. Buckley, Jr., National Review, 27 Sept. 1999

For in creating a cultural orthodoxy designed to combat racism, urban disorder, and a legacy of oppression, we subject ourselves to delusional dogma, the tyranny of conformity, and language that rings of fascist imagery. —Gerald Early, Harper's, January 1997

The refugees were fleeing tyranny.

He was dedicated to ending the tyranny of slavery.

a nation ruled by tyranny

She felt lost in the bureaucratic tyrannies of the university system.

The king sought an absolute tyranny over the colonies.

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Recent Examples on the Web

The underlying theory of the Constitution is that governments are necessary because mankind is inherently, immutably flawed; power must be dispersed and competitive because its accumulation in too few hands is the path to tyranny. —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024

The encroaching tyranny that has engulfed our once, relatively, free society comes from the Democratic Party. —Elizabeth Stauffer, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024

The tyranny of the abstract leads to acute and frenzied suffering. —Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024

The tyranny of the standard color palette can be difficult to resist this time of year, but for those who want something a little less traditional, a pink Christmas might be the way to go. —Frank Rojas Erik Carter, New York Times, 16 Dec. 2023

An elegant and provocative account, this slim volume captures the system of arbitrary rules and capricious exemptions on which tyranny, large and small, relies. —Alan Mikhail, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023

This is how the Premier League works: as a sort of tyranny of a self-interested majority. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023

In China, after enduring endless Covid tests, quarantines and lockdowns, people staged the most widespread protests the country had seen in decades, many holding roughly letter-size paper to demonstrate defiance against censorship and tyranny, in what has been called the White Paper movement. —Li Yuan, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2023

Was that candidate’s feeble command of the lectern in Tuscaloosa—or in Milwaukee or Miami before it—a preview of a career of wannabe tyranny? —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English tyrannie, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, from Latin tyrannus tyrant

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tyranny

• tyranny of the majority

• tyranny of the majority

Kids Definition

tyranny

noun

tyr·​an·​ny ˈtir-ə-nē 

plural tyrannies

1

: a government in which all power is in the hands of a single ruler

2

: harsh, cruel, and severe government or conduct

3

: a tyrannical act