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
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
Or rather, three interconnected trilogies set across different eras in the same universe, all exploring themes of power, agency, tyranny and redemption.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
Paine was a republican who wanted the Americans to break free from the political bounds of Great Britain, from the tyranny of the monarchy.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
The tyranny of distance There is no evidence of intelligent alien life in our solar system.
—Kai James, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyranny
Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Or rather, three interconnected trilogies set across different eras in the same universe, all exploring themes of power, agency, tyranny and redemption.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026
Paine was a republican who wanted the Americans to break free from the political bounds of Great Britain, from the tyranny of the monarchy.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
The tyranny of distance There is no evidence of intelligent alien life in our solar system.
—Kai James, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyranny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyranny
Noun
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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.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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The trophy did not change any laws or soften the dictatorship’s grip on culture and society, but for 90 minutes at a time, none of that was the point.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Noun
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President Roosevelt also led the United States through the Second World War, mobilizing the Nation after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and serving as Commander-in-Chief throughout the Allied effort to defeat Nazism and fascism.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
The famous star of stage and screen was an outspoken opponent of fascism before World War II, devoting his time and money to relief groups aiding victims of Nazi Germany.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
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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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The book circles political concerns that remain relevant today, including empire, caste prejudice, and the dangers of despotism and corruption.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The good ones who are trying to carefully transition a country from democracy to autocracy don't do it overnight.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
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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.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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.—
Sarah Moreno
June 5,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
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His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Other World Cup tournaments were far from flawless, from the authoritarianism of Russia in 2018 and the human rights concerns of Qatar in 2022, right back to the tournaments held under Mussolini’s Italy in 1934 and Argentina’s junta in 1978.—
Abigail Williams,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
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Similar charges were leveled against several other rival candidates ahead of the election, spurring accusations of authoritarianism and corruption against Pashinyan’s government.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The result is the extreme polarization and absolutism.—
Andrew Cuomo,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tyranny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyranny. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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