tyrant

American  

[tahy-ruhnt] / ˈtaɪ rənt /

noun

• tyrants
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• undertyrant
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tyrants
  plural

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

Explanation

If you accuse your parents of being tyrants, you are saying they abuse their control of you — they are cruel, overly restrictive of your freedoms, and unfair. A tyrant is a ruler who is cruel and unjust. Here's an idea for a game: list all the tyrants in history and vote for the worst tyrant of all time. Don't limit yourself to 20th or 21st century ones like Hitler and Stalin and Saddam Hussein. Maybe put Attila the Hun on your list. You could also name a few minor tyrants in your life, such as your boss or another person with unreasonable demands.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tyrant tyrants

Demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos estimates it is now as low as eight million, only slightly more than 67 years ago, when Fidel Castro declared, "The tyrant has fled... the revolution has triumphed!"

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Lane’s Willy is both a paternal tyrant and a wounded bear, growling if anyone interrupts him yet unable to conceal his soft underbelly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

“The Roman, not the Sassenach, was for him the tyrant of the islanders,” Joyce wrote in “Stephen Hero,” referring to the Catholic Church and the English, respectively.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

The newly identified species has been named Tyrannoroter heberti, which means Hebert's tyrant digger, in recognition of its discoverer, Brian Hebert.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026

It was as if someone had slipped into the Kremlin in 1950 and held Stalin at gunpoint, leaving the nation, accustomed to obeying a tyrant, utterly rudderless.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

It follows the Pope's warning earlier this month that the world is being "ravaged by a handful of tyrants" as he criticised the cost of war during a visit to Cameroon.

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026

Shortly after Museveni took power in 1986, ending years of bloodshed and chaos under murderous tyrants, the young president mused that leaders overstaying their welcome lay at the heart of Africa's problems.

From Barron's ● Jan. 12, 2026

Humans have laughed at tyrants going back to the days of the ancient Greeks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2025

Conciliators and aspiring tyrants alike have long laid claim to Lincoln’s warnings against mob rule.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2025

When Chris visited with Kris Gillmer, he frequently railed against Walt and Billie, portraying them as unreasonable tyrants.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• autocrat
• bully
• despot
• dictator
• oppressor