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What makes someone a tyrant?
A glance at the comments posted in response to our definition of tyrant illustrate two things: the word has a fairly wide spectrum of meaning, and many political rulers of late (regardless of party and action) are thought by some to merit this description. The word is often now found used as a generalized term of reproach ("he was a real tyrant in the kitchen"), and also with more specific denotation ("the tyrant suspended the country’s judicial code"). The definitions we give for words match, as best as possible, the manner in which these words are used. We cannot offer judgment on whether or not any specific individual is or is not a tyrant.
Synonyms
Examples of tyrant in a Sentence
John Feffer, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Some tyrants just can’t resist meddling with the calendar.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 28 Nov. 2024
By his final run for the project, in October, the all-too-familiar streets of his neighborhood had become a prison of his own creation, the stickman equal parts muse and tyrant.
—Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Perhaps Lucius should blame the emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), monstrous twin tyrants who have sent the empire spiralling into decadence.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tyrant 
Dictionary Entries Near tyrant
Cite this Entry
“Tyrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrant. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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tyrant
noun
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