tyrannical
adjective
ty·ran·ni·cal
tə-ˈra-ni-kəl 
tī-
variants
or less commonly tyrannic
tə-ˈra-nik
tī-
Synonyms of tyrannical
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
The proud and courageous Iranian people are rising up against the tyrannical, despotic and oppressive regime that imposed its vicious rule in 1979 and has governed by fear and murder ever since.
—
Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
Though not an outright villain like the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), Dementus exhibits psychopathic behavior throughout the film, engaging in human trafficking and even murder.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Our forefathers fought the American Revolution to get away from a tyrannical monarch and indifferent legislators, not to create our own homegrown version of it.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
But swooping into a foreign capital and kidnapping another country’s de facto leader, so he can be tried in your country’s criminal courts, is well outside the bounds of international law, however tyrannical that leader may be.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tyrannical
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Tyrannical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrannical. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
