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 domineering
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
The Wolves rose up and defeated the tyrannical FEDRA, forcing them to abandon the quarantine zone.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
That film focused on the 10th annual Hunger Games, which takes place decades before Snow becomes the tyrannical leader of Panem.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
However, as Dunson’s leadership grows increasingly tyrannical, Matt is forced to challenge him, leading to an intense power struggle on the open frontier.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
And what can today’s resistance movements facing tyrannical regimes learn from their success?
—John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
That film focused on the 10th annual Hunger Games, which takes place decades before Snow becomes the tyrannical leader of Panem.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
However, as Dunson’s leadership grows increasingly tyrannical, Matt is forced to challenge him, leading to an intense power struggle on the open frontier.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
And what can today’s resistance movements facing tyrannical regimes learn from their success?
—John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
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For those still experiencing the oppressive heat, here are some tips for how to find your own bit of relief.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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But what is a heat dome, and why does the phenomenon bring oppressive heat with it?—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Despite his character's domineering presence, Morse told ScreenRant there's more than meets the eye.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
18 June 2025
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It was then put to Tuchel that the show’s host Adrian Durham has friends who think England would be better off without Bellingham in the team, referring to that domineering personality.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Defending institutions of higher education from increasingly authoritarian measures is an important way to safeguard not only academic freedom, but the legacy of 1776 as well.—
Time,
Time,
1 July 2025
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Even among authoritarian regimes, differences in values can limit cooperation.—
Leon Aron,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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The Belgian master of minimalism and wabi-sabi forever changed the design of sofas, and his way with rough-hewn wood furniture and beams, pale linen, an earthy palette, and a masterful blending of East and West and antique and contemporary are now canonized among professionals.—
Amy Astley,
Architectural Digest,
25 June 2025
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Gill goes on to justify this support with a masterful century in front of a sell-out crowd on day one.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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This was the fantasy in 1953, when the CIA and the British intelligence overthrew Mohammad Mossadegh, Iran’s prime minister who had nationalized the country’s oil, and delivered Iran to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s autocratic rule.—
Narges Bajoghli,
Time,
19 June 2025
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Most Third World states, for example, that were born as democracies lapsed into dictatorships or became autocratic shortly after independence.—
ASHLEY J. TELLIS,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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This anecdote is a perfect snapshot of Jameela’s lifelong refusal to accept arbitrary rules.—
Mandeep Rai,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Choosing a side for the wall would have been arbitrary.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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Even his former closest associates now acknowledge that his political efforts have not lasted more than a few weeks or at most a few months, due to his dictatorial approach.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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