tyrannical
Americanadjective
-
of or characteristic of a tyrant.
-
unjustly cruel, harsh, or severe; arbitrary or oppressive; despotic.
a tyrannical ruler.
- Synonyms:
- domineering, imperious, dictatorial
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tyrannical
1530–40; < Latin tyrannic ( us ) (< Greek tyrannikós, equivalent to týrann ( os ) tyrant + -ikos -ic ) + -al 1
Explanation
A tyrannical ruler wields absolute power and authority, and often wields that power unjustly, cruelly, or oppressively. First used in the 1530s, the adjective tyrannical stems from the late-14th-century word tyranny, meaning "cruel or unjust use of power," which has origins in the Greek work tyrannos, meaning "master." Tyrannical rule is the opposite of democratic rule, which places the power in the people, the majority of whom makes the decisions. Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Joseph Stalin are three examples of the 20th century's most tyrannical dictators.
Vocabulary lists containing tyrannical
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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Matilda
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tyrannical heat, delirious summers, dog days that breed flies and sloth, squabbles and morbid introspection are gone with the vent.
From Time Magazine Archive
Which is not unlike the Old Tyrannical Axiom; Let my Friends perish, so my Enemies fall along with them.
From Franco-Gallia Or, An Account of the Ancient Free State of France, and Most Other Parts of Europe, Before the Loss of Their Liberties by Hotman, François
Tyrannical adjournments there have been; one, and now another at midnight on plea of fatigue,—all Friday wasted in hesitation and higgling; in re-counting of the votes, which are found correct as they stood!
From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas
Tyrannical as was Henry�VIII., still he ever ruled by the laws.
From A Modern History, From the Time of Luther to the Fall of Napoleon For the Use of Schools and Colleges by Lord, John
In this point charge him home, that he affects Tyrannical power: if he evade us there, Enforce him with his envy to the people; And that the spoil got on the Antiates Was ne'er distributed.
From Coriolanus by Shakespeare, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
