tyrannical

Sometimes ty·ran·nic

[ti-ran-i-kuhl, tahy-]

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a tyrant.

2. unjustly cruel, harsh, or severe; arbitrary or oppressive; despotic.

   a tyrannical ruler.

   Synonyms: domineering, imperious, dictatorial

tyrannical

/ tɪˈrænɪkəl, tɪˈrænɪk /

adjective

1. characteristic of or relating to a tyrant or to tyranny; oppressive

Other Word Forms

• tyrannicalness noun
• tyrannically adverb
• nontyrannic adjective
• nontyrannical adjective
• nontyrannically adverb
• nontyrannicalness noun
• pretyrannical adjective
• quasi-tyrannical adjective
• quasi-tyrannically adverb
• untyrannic adjective
• untyrannical adjective
• untyrannically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyrannical¹

1530–40; < Latin tyrannic ( us ) (< Greek tyrannikós, equivalent to týrann ( os ) tyrant + -ikos -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

But Pip rebukes Walker for “changing the temperature” of every room by “tyrannical, psychosocial … fiat.”

From Los Angeles Times

Dame Anna's tenure as editor-in-chief of US Vogue is widely rumoured to have inspired the character of Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada, a fictional portrayal of a tyrannical and revered fashion taste-maker.

From BBC

Freed from the tyrannical control that his father Murry had exerted over The Beach Boys’ direction as their manager, Wilson made a self-conscious stab at greatness.

From Salon

“And I feel sorry for all these law enforcement people, because many of them, they’re in a position where they’re being put between the Constitution and a tyrannical president.”

From Los Angeles Times

For some, the 31-month jail term imposed for inciting race hate was "tyrannical", while one commentator said Connolly was a "hostage of the British state", and another that she was "clearly a political prisoner".

From BBC

Related Words

• authoritarian 
• autocratic 
• brutal 
• cruel 
• dictatorial 
• domineering 
• overbearing 
• repressive 
• ruthless 
• totalitarian