tyrant

[ tahy-ruhnt ]

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

/ 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

Other Words From

• under·tyrant noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyrant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyrant¹

C13: from Old French tyrant, from Latin tyrannus, from Greek turannos

Example Sentences

They said he was a tyrant and a dictator in waiting.

From Salon

Harris says U.S. foreign policy should be based on strong alliances with other democracies, not cynical partnerships with tyrants like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping.

From Los Angeles Times

“They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

From Salon

“They did not struggle, sacrifice and lay down their lives, only to see us cede our fundamental freedoms, only to see us submit to the will of another petty tyrant,” Harris said.

From Salon

She doubled down on casting Trump as a selfish tyrant who would take down anybody who gets in his way, calling the former president “unstable, obsessed with revenge and out for unchecked power.”

From Salon

Related Words

• autocrat
• bully
• despot
• dictator
• oppressor