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tyranny

American  
[tir-uh-nee] / ˈtɪr ə ni /

noun

plural

tyrannies

  1. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.

    Synonyms:
    dictatorship, absolutism, despotism

  2. the government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler.

  3. a state ruled by a tyrant or absolute ruler.

  4. oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler.

  5. undue severity or harshness.

  6. a cruel or harsh act or proceeding; an arbitrary, oppressive, or tyrannical action.

tyranny British  
/ ˈtɪrənɪ /

noun

    1. government by a tyrant or tyrants; despotism

    2. similarly oppressive and unjust government by more than one person

  2. arbitrary, unreasonable, or despotic behaviour or use of authority

    the teacher's tyranny

  3. any harsh discipline or oppression

    the tyranny of the clock

  4. a political unit ruled by a tyrant

  5. (esp in ancient Greece) government by a usurper

  6. a tyrannical act

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • tyrannous adjective
  • tyrannously adverb
  • tyrannousness noun

Etymology

Origin of tyranny

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tyrannie, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, equivalent to Latin tyrann(us) “oppressive ruler” + -ia noun suffix; tyrant, -y 3

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.

When protests broke out to oust the Shah, she showed up for her community, a tightknit cluster of graduate students who were frustrated by his extravagance and tyranny.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

The tyranny of the status quo isn’t ending.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026

"The people of Myanmar have shown extraordinary courage in resisting military tyranny," Andrews said.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

True tyranny, for Adams, ultimately came from those in your immediate vicinity—never from the actual forces shaping the world in which you exist.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2026

And how soon would Hattie resume her tyranny over me?

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

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.