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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tyrannical
Back in the late 1700s, with the demands of a tyrannical and unaccountable king at the front of their minds, the founders built a tariff order aimed at maintaining democratic legitimacy and preventing the concentration of power in a single individual’s hands.
—
Kent Jones, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2026
The proud and courageous Iranian people are rising up against the tyrannical, despotic and oppressive regime that imposed its vicious rule in 1979 and has governed by fear and murder ever since.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
Though not an outright villain like the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), Dementus exhibits psychopathic behavior throughout the film, engaging in human trafficking and even murder.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Our forefathers fought the American Revolution to get away from a tyrannical monarch and indifferent legislators, not to create our own homegrown version of it.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Kent Jones, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2026
The proud and courageous Iranian people are rising up against the tyrannical, despotic and oppressive regime that imposed its vicious rule in 1979 and has governed by fear and murder ever since.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
Though not an outright villain like the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), Dementus exhibits psychopathic behavior throughout the film, engaging in human trafficking and even murder.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Our forefathers fought the American Revolution to get away from a tyrannical monarch and indifferent legislators, not to create our own homegrown version of it.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
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Enoch confronts the celestial hosts, all wearing capes of swastika red under an oppressive horizon of jutting lightning and glaring orange mountains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Even the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that monitors and honors reporters imprisoned by authoritarian government regimes overseas, felt compelled to weigh in on Lemon’s arrest.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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These changes have been caricatured as authoritarian and corrupt.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The organizations call the rules arbitrary and warn that the bans harm a civilian population desperately in need of aid.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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These thresholds are not arbitrary.—
Michael Gianaris,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In the movie, set in medieval England, Anne (Turner) and her domineering mother-in-law, Morwen (Gay Harden), struggle to survive on the outskirts of society.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
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The part of the audience fresh to this season’s developments may recall Hearts’ brief appearance in series 2 of Succession — Roman Roy buys the club as a gift for his Scottish father, the domineering Logan, only to discover Logan supports Hibs, Hearts’ Edinburgh rivals.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Government institutions run by lackeys are also more easily manipulated by autocratic leaders, and no longer serve the public interest.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
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It’s also tinged with irony since, as his homeland’s de facto opposition leader, Rahman’s speeches had been banned from local media for a decade by autocratic former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
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Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The men who rule the Islamic Republic of Iran came to power in 1979 after millions of ordinary people filled the streets to demand the end of a despotic regime.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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The first Mistborn trilogy of books centered on metal-using magicians who attempt to overthrow a despotic empire.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The judge was absolutely incredulous about the contractual argument and the independent, dictatorial authority of the president.—
Liz Crawford,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Rubio has been carrying out dictatorial measures at home.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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