as in dictatorship
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
a popular uprising replaced that nation's tyranny with freedom and democracy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tyranny
Liberty and equality were ideals yet to be realized, but tyranny was a fact.
—
New York Times,
9 June 2026
One requirement of self-governance is the relentless pursuit of truth, which necessarily involves questioning people in positions of power in order to prevent tyranny.
—
Adrienne Lafrance,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Suddenly, guardrails are not tyranny but common sense.
—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Turning the court into a partisan plaything would destroy one of America’s strongest bulwarks against tyranny.
—
Washington Post Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyranny
New York Times,
9 June 2026
One requirement of self-governance is the relentless pursuit of truth, which necessarily involves questioning people in positions of power in order to prevent tyranny.
—
Adrienne Lafrance,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Suddenly, guardrails are not tyranny but common sense.
—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Turning the court into a partisan plaything would destroy one of America’s strongest bulwarks against tyranny.
—
Washington Post Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyranny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyranny
Noun
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Building tension gave way to war in 1982, when Argentina, then under a brutal dictatorship, sent a military expedition to the islands.
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Public anger over Chun’s dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.
Noun
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Antifa is short for anti-fascist or anti-fascism.
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The demonstration, which had been previously organized by a hodgepodge of activist groups after weeks of negotiations with local authorities, was otherwise peaceful — with environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, supporters of Palestinians and foes of imperialism, fascism and capitalism.
Noun
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The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
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His dream was nothing less than a new reality, a hopeful future free of despotism, ruled by equality and liberty, rather than kings and queens.
Noun
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The good ones who are trying to carefully transition a country from democracy to autocracy don't do it overnight.
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Once in office, Putin installed Vadim as an adviser to help consolidate his administration into an autocracy responsible for the suppression of civil liberties, for wars in Chechnya and Ukraine, and for a campaign of disinformation and interference in Western democracies.
Noun
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Visual artist and historian Ranfis Suárez Ramos highlighted the importance of internet access for Cubans as a way to break the hold of totalitarianism.
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His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.
Noun
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Rent it on most major platforms Forbidden to enter the stadium, several Iranian women sneak in dressed as men to watch a World Cup qualifying match in the master director Jafar Panahi’s movie about everyday defiance under authoritarianism.
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The handmaids’ crimson robes evolved into protest iconography around the world because the story captured fears about authoritarianism and gender more viscerally than overt political messaging ever could.
Noun
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In fact, that kind of absolutism is a good way to become part of another kind of silencing, another kind of injustice.
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The result is the extreme polarization and absolutism.
Cite this Entry
“Tyranny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyranny. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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