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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tyrannical
Or the sight of an evil Jerry robot, puppeted by the consciousness of a tyrannical butterfly (Dave Franco), scampering, insect-like, around the fiery maelstrom of a rally gone awry.
—
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
Yet the tyrannical impulse of authoritarian populists is the same across the world.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Given the tyrannical inferno that engulfed these precariously united states, my personal plights were mere embers, ashes, in the grand scheme of things.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
In the 1953 steel-seizure case, Jackson concluded with a warning about the importance of parliamentary deliberation to check a tyrannical executive.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026
Yet the tyrannical impulse of authoritarian populists is the same across the world.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Given the tyrannical inferno that engulfed these precariously united states, my personal plights were mere embers, ashes, in the grand scheme of things.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
In the 1953 steel-seizure case, Jackson concluded with a warning about the importance of parliamentary deliberation to check a tyrannical executive.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
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Refusing to abide by aspects of the oppressive and budget-busting Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is as good a place to start as any.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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The third was to free the Iranian people from a brutally oppressive government and move the country toward democratic representation reflecting the aspirations and talents of its 90 million people.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Founded by George Soros after the fall of communism, the university says the authoritarian government of Viktor Orbán forced 90% of its teaching operations out of the country in 2019, leaving behind a stark symbol of how far the nation has moved during the prime minister’s 16-year regime.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
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Reminiscent of authoritarian regimes, experts say What's branding in business is problematic in governance.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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In 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that Georgia’s death penalty as then applied was arbitrary and discriminatory, forcing all states to rewrite their laws and beef up their systems to provide for death row defense lawyers.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Through it all, however, West struggled with depression and a sense of self-loathing, and had trouble with intimacy, much of it a by-product of a hardscrabble childhood in West Virginia with a domineering father.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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In the new version, the dramatic tension comes from the singer’s relationship with his domineering father, Joe Jackson, who doesn’t want his son’s solo career to come at the expense of the Jackson 5, the Motown group that put the family on the map.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even with a fragile ceasefire in place with Iran, Trump’s support for Orbán may not work out for the autocratic Hungarian leader, who faces a tough election this weekend.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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This means that filmmakers out of favor with autocratic regimes—including, in Iran, some of the nation’s greatest artists—don’t stand a chance, and some of the most notable recent Iranian films have been submitted by other countries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Notoriously arrogant comedy legend Kent Romero might first bring to mind Chevy Chase for readers, perhaps even 1980s stars like Judge Reinhold, but with his Venezuelan-American background, he was also inspired by real-life groundbreakers like Freddie Prinze.—
Lee Kelly,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Hard to Be a God is about a planet that has not been allowed to advance beyond the Middle Ages, and descended into a filthy, despotic, and violent world.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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Remarkably, among the foremost critics of Cuba’s single-party despotic rule is one of Castro’s own daughters, Alina Fernández Revuelta.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The upper ranks of the dictatorial regime’s leadership have been decimated.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
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Aggressive, a bit dictatorial’.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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