tyrannical

adjective

tə-ˈra-ni-kəl How to pronounce tyrannical (audio)
variants also tyrannic
Definition of tyrannicalnext
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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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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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 tyrannical With Carrie’s mom no longer the same abusive, tyrannical figure of King’s book, Sloyan focused on the undying love of a mother for a daughter. — Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Women becoming doctors and professors know the difference between a free society and a tyrannical society. — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026 Brownlee sang the title character, a tyrannical leader who spreads rumors of his death to discover if his sons are in love with his fiancée Aspasia. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026 Giamatti is Jerry, the tyrannical director billed, without irony, as the biggest name in New Jersey community theater. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
  1. oppressive
  2. authoritarian
  3. arbitrary
  4. domineering
  5. autocratic
  6. arrogant
  7. despotic
  8. dictatorial
Adjective
  • Thomas shocks Vision back to life, but this somehow alerts Butcherbird; Vision’s mindscape fills with oppressive red lighting, ominously circling birds, and TVs crackling with static.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical sun was oppressive, but company representatives were prepared with orange parasols, each with a dedicated barcode.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • The case centers on the Cuban government shooting down two Brothers to the Rescue flights, a civilian rescue group dedicated to saving refugees fleeing the authoritarian Castro regime — then run by Raul Castro’s older brother Fidel.
    — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The former authoritarian president is eyeing a return as prime minister after the Sunday vote.
    — Teresa Medrano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritarian
Adjective
  • The 2-1 decision rejected Anthropic's argument that the Department of Defense's ban on its Claude models was arbitrary, unauthorized and unconstitutional.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But labor campaigners said in the statement that their wage demand wasn’t arbitrary.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of arbitrary
Adjective
  • Sources said Gunning plays Annie, a quietly dutiful wife who has sacrificed her ambitions to raise four sons under her domineering husband, Duncan.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Fern proves himself as a true actor’s director, offering plum roles to Paulson, Watts and two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest as their chaotic and domineering mother.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of domineering
Adjective
  • Political transitions are the midnight hour for all autocratic regimes.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Lampooning authority is even common in autocratic societies where governments spend large sums of money suppressing speech.
    — Christopher von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of autocratic
Adjective
  • Ever-sensible Elinor, who never asks for much, has already met, and fallen for, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), Fanny’s brother, as kind and modest as Fanny is arrogant.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Hal and Kate, having misread Trowbridge’s shock and dismay at the tragic death of Austin Dennison as a worse-than-usual bit of arrogant posturing, switch to Bad Cop mode.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • Any transgression of new standards of speech and behavior could put someone at risk of social banishment, in the truly despotic shape of cancellation.
    — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The comedy of errors that follows as Ina attempts to solve the nation’s problems, from traffic congestion to energy crisis, doubles as a critique of the despotic regime and the tumult of living in such hellish times.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of despotic
Adjective
  • Trump launched aggressive moves against the dictatorial regime of Nicolás Maduro last year.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Standing before her guards, the increasingly dictatorial ruler proclaims herself as the Chosen One to the people of King's Landing.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of dictatorial

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Cite this Entry

“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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