tyrannical
Americanadjective
-
of or characteristic of a tyrant.
-
unjustly cruel, harsh, or severe; arbitrary or oppressive; despotic.
a tyrannical ruler.
- Synonyms:
- domineering, imperious, dictatorial
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tyrannical
1530–40; < Latin tyrannic ( us ) (< Greek tyrannikós, equivalent to týrann ( os ) tyrant + -ikos -ic ) + -al 1
Explanation
A tyrannical ruler wields absolute power and authority, and often wields that power unjustly, cruelly, or oppressively. First used in the 1530s, the adjective tyrannical stems from the late-14th-century word tyranny, meaning "cruel or unjust use of power," which has origins in the Greek work tyrannos, meaning "master." Tyrannical rule is the opposite of democratic rule, which places the power in the people, the majority of whom makes the decisions. Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Joseph Stalin are three examples of the 20th century's most tyrannical dictators.
Vocabulary lists containing tyrannical
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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Matilda
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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.
It’s the archaic act of tyrannical monarchies, staged in the shadow of a looming tower or in the town square.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
While every major league adopted VAR in the name of tyrannical accuracy, fans of Sweden’s top division mounted a resistance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
They were also building out an empire, and that empire functioned by top-down tyrannical rule.
From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2026
The sequel sees Anne Hathaway's character return to work under tyrannical editor Miranda Priestly, portrayed again by Meryl Streep, as their fashion magazine faces an existential crisis.
From Barron's ● May 3, 2026
But I’d thought it was a small conflict, like the Boston Massacre, which Dad talked about a lot, in which half a dozen people had been martyred by a tyrannical government.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
