1
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
studied the tyrannous rule of Stalin, communist dictator of the Soviet Union
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
my older sister is a tyrannous bore who isn't happy unless she's in charge
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Recent Examples of tyrannous
These tyrannous tabbies don’t understand that canning is not exclusively for wet food.
—
Julie Klausner, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Indeed, Daniel Roher’s pulse-pumping documentary about the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has all the ingredients: a mysterious case of near-fatal poisoning, a web of for-hire hoodlums, Vladimir Putin as the tyrannous leader behind it all.
—Tomris Laffly, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Feb. 2022
The same study posited that Fela was not the only popular musician who confronted the military and tyrannous leaders of Nigeria between independence in 1960 and Fela’s passing in 1997.
—Garhe Osiebe, Quartz Africa, 21 Feb. 2021
The patriarchs of their respective homes, Polonius (Peter Friedman) and Claudius (Ritchie Coster) enthrone themselves on the toilet, oblivious of the tumult their tyrannous treachery has wreaked. Syringes creepily replace swords.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 19 Aug. 2017
Julie Klausner, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Indeed, Daniel Roher’s pulse-pumping documentary about the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has all the ingredients: a mysterious case of near-fatal poisoning, a web of for-hire hoodlums, Vladimir Putin as the tyrannous leader behind it all.
—Tomris Laffly, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Feb. 2022
The same study posited that Fela was not the only popular musician who confronted the military and tyrannous leaders of Nigeria between independence in 1960 and Fela’s passing in 1997.
—Garhe Osiebe, Quartz Africa, 21 Feb. 2021
The patriarchs of their respective homes, Polonius (Peter Friedman) and Claudius (Ritchie Coster) enthrone themselves on the toilet, oblivious of the tumult their tyrannous treachery has wreaked. Syringes creepily replace swords.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 19 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannous
Adjective
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Despite international aid groups withdrawing from Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s oppressive regime and its persecution of women and girls, the Reynolds chose to remain.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
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Hurricane season and summer humidity can be oppressive.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This then begs the question, If there was a majority of Koreans who wanted social democratic style reforms, and their aspirations had the support of American and Korean reformers in the military government, why did South Korea end up with an authoritarian regime led by Syngman Rhee?—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
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Paine, of course, marshalled the phrase in service of a radical anti-authoritarian movement.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The arbitrary nature of torture places the text in the long genealogy of the captivity narrative; if there is a degree of the adventure yarn in the tale, than there is also something of an Arthur Koestler or an Alexander Solzhenitsyn as well.—
Ed Simon
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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The impact of Elon Musk’s arbitrary DOGE cuts is palpable.—
D. Scott Schmid,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Managers often grow more assertive (sometimes drifting into domineering).—
Dave Winsborough,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Also in the cast: Emmy winner Laurie Metcalfe, as Augusta Gein, the murderer's religious, domineering mother; Tom Hollander as director Alfred Hitchcock; Olivia Williams as the filmmaker's wife, Alma Reville Hitchcock; and Lesley Manville, as Gein's second murder victim, Bernice Worden.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Commissioner Cristina Eveillard later said the sheriff was arrogant.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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The lies begin as soon as Max encounters Guillermo, an arrogant nepo baby who blamed him for Ane’s death but now pretends to accept his apology.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The citizens of Venezuela don't deserve to live under the tyrannical rule of Maduro or any of his henchmen!—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Watch The Lost Daughter on Netflix The King Prince Hal (Timothée Chalamet), the heir to the English throne, wants nothing to do with royal life and is living among commoners when his tyrannical father dies.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This is how legal systems in despotic regimes operate.—
Andrew Binns,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Academy rules work for countries with democratic governments but not for countries with despotic regimes.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
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In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannous. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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