tyrannical
adjective
ty·ran·ni·cal
tə-ˈra-ni-kəl 
tī-
variants
or less commonly tyrannic
tə-ˈra-nik
tī-
Synonyms
Examples of tyrannical in a Sentence
Everyone was afraid of their overbearing and tyrannical boss.
a tyrannical ruler whose terrible reign was marked by unceasing violence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leading his fellow countrymen, Tell embarks on a courageous rebellion, seeking to defend their liberty and stand against the tyrannical forces that seek to subjugate them.
—
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 May 2024
If someone refuses to pay his income taxes, he is confronted by the IRS, one of the most tyrannical and fearsome agencies in U.S. history, one that wields virtually omnipotent powers to collect income taxes.
—Jacob Hornberger, Orange County Register, 12 May 2024
The trio learns these villains are goons for the tyrannical bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
The unlikely allies are forced to work together when the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, leading Red and Chloe to travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 6 May 2024
Many of us see Israel’s war against Hamas as the same battle (albeit on a smaller scale, at least at this point) that took place between the Allies and the Nazis, even down to their tyrannical totalitarianism and their virulent antisemitism.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 May 2024
That goes double for The Devil Wears Prada’s tyrannical Miranda Priestly, in which Streep turns an icy glare into a weapon tantamount to Leatherface’s chainsaw.
—Chris Bellamy and Stephanie Kaloi, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Constitutional sheriffs were suddenly a viable solution to what a growing slice of the GOP saw as tyrannical lockdown orders, mask requirements and vaccination mandates.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
The incident became a rallying cry for right-wing activists and militiamen, who see themselves as locked in conflict with a tyrannical regime.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 May 2024
If someone refuses to pay his income taxes, he is confronted by the IRS, one of the most tyrannical and fearsome agencies in U.S. history, one that wields virtually omnipotent powers to collect income taxes.
—Jacob Hornberger, Orange County Register, 12 May 2024
The trio learns these villains are goons for the tyrannical bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
The unlikely allies are forced to work together when the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, leading Red and Chloe to travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 6 May 2024
Many of us see Israel’s war against Hamas as the same battle (albeit on a smaller scale, at least at this point) that took place between the Allies and the Nazis, even down to their tyrannical totalitarianism and their virulent antisemitism.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 May 2024
That goes double for The Devil Wears Prada’s tyrannical Miranda Priestly, in which Streep turns an icy glare into a weapon tantamount to Leatherface’s chainsaw.
—Chris Bellamy and Stephanie Kaloi, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Constitutional sheriffs were suddenly a viable solution to what a growing slice of the GOP saw as tyrannical lockdown orders, mask requirements and vaccination mandates.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
The incident became a rallying cry for right-wing activists and militiamen, who see themselves as locked in conflict with a tyrannical regime.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tyrannical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tyrannical
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrannical. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tyrannical
adjective
ty·ran·ni·cal
tə-ˈran-i-kəl
tī-
variants
also tyrannic
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a tyrant or tyranny
a tyrannical ruler
tyrannical rule
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