tyrant

American  

[tahy-ruhnt] / ˈtaɪ rənt /

noun

1. a sovereign or other ruler who uses power oppressively or unjustly.

   Synonyms:

   dictator, autocrat, despot

2. any person in a position of authority who exercises power oppressively or despotically.

3. a tyrannical or compulsory influence.

4. an absolute ruler, especially one in ancient Greece or Sicily.

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tyrant British  

/ ˈtaɪrənt /

noun

1. a person who governs oppressively, unjustly, and arbitrarily; despot

2. any person who exercises authority in a tyrannical manner

3. anything that exercises tyrannical influence

4. (esp in ancient Greece) a ruler whose authority lacked the sanction of law or custom; usurper

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Other Word Forms

• undertyrant noun

Etymology

Origin of tyrant

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English tirant, from Old French, earlier tiran (with the addition of t by association with -ant ( def. ) ), from Latin tyrannus, from Greek týrannos, of uncertain origin, perhaps Anatolian

Example Sentences

“Discipline without love is tyranny. And tyrants, they were not,” she says.

From Salon

He’s a mostly benevolent tyrant, but his crotchety side can get ugly and he’s not always in control of his temper.

From Los Angeles Times

Having suffered through the rule of tyrants in the late sixth century, they imposed reforms designed to prevent another such period.

From The Wall Street Journal

A tyrant, in this reading, put other tyrants out of business.

From The Wall Street Journal

A friendly guy who blunders into one scene looking for a bathroom turns out to be a tyrant responsible for some very bad things.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• autocrat
• bully
• despot
• dictator
• oppressor