as in dictator
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the people universally feared the tyrant, who was notorious for his frequent use of torture
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Recent Examples of tyrant
What has shifted, however, is the collective resolve to confront the barriers that hinder its realization and the election of a tyrant who is creative enough to manipulate the majority white masses of citizens.
—
Kevin A. Slayton Sr, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2025
Ronald Reagan never invited a Soviet tyrant into a limousine.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
But by positioning this as a story of a younger generation refusing to cede their liberties to tyrants, Loktev has made a film about resistance, putting a human face on the daily struggles concerned citizens must endure to take back their country.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
The President’s Cake, from a multiple award winner at Cannes, Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi, a heartbreaking and unforgettable look at a country crushed by poverty and international sanctions — and ruled by a sadistic, greedy and vain tyrant.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrant
Kevin A. Slayton Sr, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2025
Ronald Reagan never invited a Soviet tyrant into a limousine.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
But by positioning this as a story of a younger generation refusing to cede their liberties to tyrants, Loktev has made a film about resistance, putting a human face on the daily struggles concerned citizens must endure to take back their country.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
The President’s Cake, from a multiple award winner at Cannes, Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi, a heartbreaking and unforgettable look at a country crushed by poverty and international sanctions — and ruled by a sadistic, greedy and vain tyrant.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrant
dictator
Noun
-
Her party, the Brothers of Italy, was founded by followers of former dictator Benito Mussolini as a post-fascist movement following WWII.—
Dan Gooding
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
For Machado and the Venezuelan opposition, embracing a narrative in which Maduro is a drug lord, not just a dictator, is a bit of a gamble.—
Gisela Salim-Peyer,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrant. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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