variants
also tyrannic
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 domineering
fond of ordering people around
even when he was still a toddler, he tended to be a tyrannical playmate
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Recent Examples of tyrannical
Set in a small village in southern India, the absurdist comedy follows Ramasamy, a chilli farmer with an uncontrollable sneezing problem who must survive under a tyrannical zamindar who has banned sneezing under penalty of death.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
The result is a gripping vérité portrait of citizens under siege by a tyrannical leader stripping away their freedoms.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Shame on you, Mr. LaCava, for supporting the city’s new trash collection fee and for your tyrannical ideology surrounding this issue.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
Its champions gradually came to reinterpret the end of licensing as a natural consequence of the Revolution of 1688—part of the progression from tyrannical absolutism to parliamentary monarchy.
—Fara Dabhoiwala, Harpers Magazine, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
The result is a gripping vérité portrait of citizens under siege by a tyrannical leader stripping away their freedoms.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Shame on you, Mr. LaCava, for supporting the city’s new trash collection fee and for your tyrannical ideology surrounding this issue.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
Its champions gradually came to reinterpret the end of licensing as a natural consequence of the Revolution of 1688—part of the progression from tyrannical absolutism to parliamentary monarchy.
—Fara Dabhoiwala, Harpers Magazine, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannical
Adjective
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Despite international aid groups withdrawing from Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s oppressive regime and its persecution of women and girls, the Reynolds chose to remain.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
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Hurricane season and summer humidity can be oppressive.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Managers often grow more assertive (sometimes drifting into domineering).—
Dave Winsborough,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Also in the cast: Emmy winner Laurie Metcalfe, as Augusta Gein, the murderer's religious, domineering mother; Tom Hollander as director Alfred Hitchcock; Olivia Williams as the filmmaker's wife, Alma Reville Hitchcock; and Lesley Manville, as Gein's second murder victim, Bernice Worden.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This then begs the question, If there was a majority of Koreans who wanted social democratic style reforms, and their aspirations had the support of American and Korean reformers in the military government, why did South Korea end up with an authoritarian regime led by Syngman Rhee?—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
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Paine, of course, marshalled the phrase in service of a radical anti-authoritarian movement.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Seville is known for having excellent regular-season races and running masterful rounds in major championships.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Hijabs Off is a masterful special that Johnson’s career has been building toward for years.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
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In fact, the choice Koreans faced at the end of 1948, between a one-party communist state and an autocratic liberalism, was between two options that had very little support at the beginning of the occupation.—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is how legal systems in despotic regimes operate.—
Andrew Binns,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Academy rules work for countries with democratic governments but not for countries with despotic regimes.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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And part of that structure is ensuring that the IRS consistently enforces the code without imposing arbitrary changes on certain taxpayers.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Both sides have also carried out arbitrary detentions, with SAF interrogating and beating dozens of Christians in 2024 and 2025.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That Trump would explicitly address the dictator issue this week reflects just how head-spinningly fast his dictatorial actions have been coming at us.—
Jackie Calmes,
Mercury News,
30 Aug. 2025
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La'An, meanwhile, starts to exhibit the dictatorial traits of the warmongering Romulans, who — unbeknown to most of the Federation — split off from the Vulcans to go their own way a few millennia previously.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannical. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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