tyranny

noun

ˈtir-ə-nē How to pronounce tyranny (audio)
Definition of tyrannynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tyranny In the film, out September 11, Garfield plays Ploughman, the legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 July 2026 Ḥusayn’s death became for the Shiʿah a symbol of selfless resistance against worldly injustice and tyranny and is commemorated with lamentation each year on Ashura. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026 Dave Roberts should know that the first obligation of a patriot is to stand up against tyranny. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 Much of the world lived under tyranny of one form or another. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tyranny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyranny
  1. dictatorship
  2. fascism
  3. despotism
  4. autocracy
  5. totalitarianism
  6. authoritarianism
  7. absolutism
Noun
  • Outside of dictatorships, modern central bankers generally don’t have to fear for their lives, but they are sometimes subjected to heavy criticism.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • None of Argentina’s players had been born when the country’s military dictatorship invaded the Malvinas in 1982, holding the islands for 73 days before British forces recaptured them in a war that killed 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of dictatorship
Noun
  • The city is most associated with two things, European high culture and the rise of fascism.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • And of course fascism and Nazis were worse, but was war the answer?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fascism
Noun
  • The nation which will not adopt an equilibrium of power must adopt a despotism.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of despotism
Noun
  • But attributing Morocco’s triumph to autocracy misses the point.
    — Joe Mathews, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • Not long ago, a senile American president’s plan to lead democracies in a battle with autocracies was being applauded by post-1989 Atlanticists such as Anne Applebaum and Adam Michnik.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
Definition of autocracy
Noun
  • 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
  • His parents’ experience living under totalitarianism shaped his outlook on the world.
    — Iris Kwok May 12, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Definition of totalitarianism
Noun
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago would not yield to authoritarianism and pledged to continue investing in communities that have long been overlooked.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • That’s how the public is able to hold government accountable, and accountability is crucial to the fight for democracy and against censorship and authoritarianism.
    — Heather Hendershot, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
Definition of authoritarianism
Noun
  • 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
Definition of absolutism

Browse Nearby Words

tyrannous
tyranny
tyrant
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Cite this Entry

“Tyranny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyranny. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tyranny

Nglish: Translation of tyranny for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tyranny

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