tyranny

[ tir-uh-nee ]

noun

, plural tyr·an·nies.

1. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.

   Synonyms: dictatorship, absolutism, despotism

2. the government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler.
3. a state ruled by a tyrant or absolute ruler.
4. oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler.
5. undue severity or harshness.
6. a cruel or harsh act or proceeding; an arbitrary, oppressive, or tyrannical action.

tyranny

/ ˈtɪrənɪ /

noun

1. 1. government by a tyrant or tyrants; despotism
   2. similarly oppressive and unjust government by more than one person
2. arbitrary, unreasonable, or despotic behaviour or use of authority

   the teacher's tyranny

3. any harsh discipline or oppression

   the tyranny of the clock

4. a political unit ruled by a tyrant
5. (esp in ancient Greece) government by a usurper
6. a tyrannical act

Derived Forms

• ˈtyrannous, adjective
• ˈtyrannously, adverb
• ˈtyrannousness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyranny¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tyrannie, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, equivalent to Latin tyrann(us) “oppressive ruler” + -ia noun suffix; tyrant, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyranny¹

C14: from Old French tyrannie, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, from Latin tyrannus tyrant

Example Sentences

He dubbed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom as “Newssolini,” decried government “tyranny” and had his YouTube page shut down — “censored,” he says — when the platform cracked down on misleading and inaccurate content about the virus and vaccines.

From Los Angeles Times

The earliest on the program, “Jefferson and Liberty” from 1800, included the verse: “Here strangers from thousand shores/Compell’d by tyranny to roam;/Shall find, amidst abundant stores,/A nobler and a happier home.”

From Los Angeles Times

Tyranny and illiberalism thrive in isolation, they thrive in fear, they thrive in folks saying: I’m just going to stop.

From Slate

Opposition to the bill was led by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, who cited Trump’s re-election as the primary reason for voting down what he called "the tools of tyranny."

From Salon

In a departure from speculative narratives, Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" made the top 10, reports CBS News.

From Salon

Related Words

• authoritarianism
• autocracy
• coercion
• cruelty
• despotism
• domination
• oligarchy
• oppression
• terrorism
• totalitarianism