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Synonyms

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.

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

"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

  • 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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But she also concludes that George III wasn’t a tyrant, just a king “ill advised by ministers obsessed by debt,” and the unavoidable fact that their empire, expanding for centuries, was now shrinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 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 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 • Feb. 4, 2026

They thought those who were in competing spheres of power would fight for their own prerogatives, but it’s clear that’s actually quite a rare occurrence when it comes to facing down a tyrant.

From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026

But the tyrant who had seized power was jealous of anyone with education and money, and so Papito was often sent out of the country on a bogus diplomatic post.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

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.