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
It is imperiled by a tyrannical president, a cowardly Congress and a remorseless Supreme Court.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
In later years, Washington's decision to not seek a third term was seen as a safeguard against the type of tyrannical power wielded by the British monarchy during the Colonial era.
—Allison Kiehl, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The regime’s tyrannical efforts to control and extinguish their savings were futile against their newfound freedom money.
—Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the sequel, Atwood focuses on how tyrannical regimes destroy themselves.
—EW.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
In later years, Washington's decision to not seek a third term was seen as a safeguard against the type of tyrannical power wielded by the British monarchy during the Colonial era.
—Allison Kiehl, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The regime’s tyrannical efforts to control and extinguish their savings were futile against their newfound freedom money.
—Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the sequel, Atwood focuses on how tyrannical regimes destroy themselves.
—EW.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
-
Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women’s voices in public.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
-
Others reject the portrayal of federal actions as oppressive, suggesting deployments like those in Los Angeles prioritize national security and immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Louise Fletcher portrays the domineering head nurse Ratched.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
6 July 2025
-
But Agnes can’t stop barking orders, leaving the household staff at a loss over who to listen to — their domineering former boss or the woman signing their paychecks.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Whether Trump's death quelled or accelerated authoritarian forces remains an open question.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
-
All of these factors and their contribution to alienation can foster authoritarian beliefs and individualism.—
Nathan Meyers,
The Conversation,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is the masterful alchemy of the Lazy CF Ranch outdoor furniture line, where utility meets heirloom-quality fine art.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
2 July 2025
-
Don’t ever doubt theater’s ability to spin a masterful tale out of unusual material.—
David Lyman,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
The result is an end to the era of NGOs—a great loss for the people who have relied on these organizations’ services, and a boon to autocratic governments that have seen their advocacy as a threat.—
SARAH BUSH,
Foreign Affairs,
3 July 2025
-
That changed in 1979 when Iran’s pro-American autocratic ruler, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown and the regime known as the Islamic Republic, which still rules Iran today, was established.—
Zack Beauchamp,
Vox,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Napoleon, the pig who takes despotic control of the farm following the revolution — voiced with haughty gusto by Seth Rogen — bears an uncanny resemblance to the current occupant of the White House.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
-
Bernal as a despotic and at times deluded Magellan persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold 16th century expedition to the fabled lands of the East, only to unleash a decade of devastation wreaked by European conquistadors in the Pacific as part of colonial conquests.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
There are no longer arbitrary divisions in which people say that different functions aren’t their job or concern.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Marylanders deserve a civil justice system that recognizes the full scope of human suffering and empowers citizen juries to render verdicts based on evidence rather than arbitrary limitations.—
Bruce M. Plaxen,
Baltimore Sun,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Big Beautiful Bill is supposed to revitalize our economy, but the president who asked for it is destroying that economy with his erratic, uninformed and ill-judged dictatorial outbursts.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
13 July 2025
-
In 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the first Hunger Games prequel story, Tom Blyth portrayed a younger version of President Snow, depicted as a Hunger Games mentor who begins rising toward his eventual dictatorial role within Collins' fictional Panem. 28 Years Later is in theaters now.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share