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

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

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

To mirror the real world, the Land of Sweets was not spared from an evil nutcracker tyrant.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

She forgot pain, forgot fear, forgot the tyrant who stared at the burning mark on her head with dark eyes.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Related Words

• autocrat
• bully
• despot
• dictator
• oppressor