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

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

He informally referred to them as "Tylosaurus thalassotyrannus," meaning "sea tyrant."

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

But postwar Germany, unlike France after Napoleon, had no victory to celebrate and no one left who was eager to honor the fallen tyrant.

From Salon • May 3, 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 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

A relative once observed that Hoover was “quite a tyrant about food” and that if the yolk seeped at all, he would send it back to the kitchen.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• autocrat
• bully
• despot
• dictator
• oppressor