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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
even when he was still a toddler, he tended to be a tyrannical playmate
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Recent Examples of tyrannical
Accompanied by her on-screen sidekick, who was also a guest at the Italian fashion house's show, Meryl Streep was dressed like a fashion icon, immediately reminding us of the film's glamorous, if tyrannical, editor-in-chief.
—
Marthe Mabille, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2025
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
The over-the-top propaganda that leads the game off suggests the Earth Directorate is here to protect colonists from out-of-control corporations and tyrannical governments.
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The result is a gripping vérité portrait of citizens under siege by a tyrannical leader stripping away their freedoms.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Marthe Mabille, Glamour, 27 Sep. 2025
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
The over-the-top propaganda that leads the game off suggests the Earth Directorate is here to protect colonists from out-of-control corporations and tyrannical governments.
—Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
The result is a gripping vérité portrait of citizens under siege by a tyrannical leader stripping away their freedoms.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
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After a summer of oppressive heat, October is when New York City hits its stride.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
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Raducanu had her blood pressure taken during the match, which was played in oppressive heat and humidity, before retiring down 6-1, 4-1.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the country moves into an authoritarian state and Josh's family faces the ramifications.—
Ralphie Aversa,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
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But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.—
Betsy Klein,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Yet, the severity of gendered crime during Partition wasn’t caused by an arbitrary upsurge of madness.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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Several lawsuits have already been filed challenging the fee and selection changes, with universities, labor groups, and business organizations arguing that the administration exceeded its authority and that the new rules are arbitrary.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In the new film, a young Victor (Christian Convery) is raised by a cruel, domineering dad (Charles Dance) but loves his mother (Mia Goth).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Ladd played Lula’s domineering mother and earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The autocratic czarist regime ruled with an iron hand and suppressed opposition through censorship, banishment, and executions.—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
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As with previous generations of Russians under autocratic rule, from tsarism to Soviet communism, there was no purpose in worrying about the causes of the storm.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The pilot opens with Powell’s character, arrogant college quarterback Russ Holliday, leading his Oregon Ducks team in the National Championship game against Georgia at the Rose Bowl.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Especially right now, when most of whatever happens next would seem to be determined by arbitrary and despotic centers of earthly power.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
7 Oct. 2025
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The emergency has become the rule, transforming exceptional powers into the ordinary machinery of despotic governance.—
Beatriz Magaloni,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Trump is unconventional, but not dictatorial.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
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The meeting was especially notable considering Putin’s long-standing backing of Al-Sharaa’s predecessor, Bashar al-Assad, whose dictatorial regime was ousted by rebel forces in December.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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