as in dictator
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
the people universally feared the tyrant, who was notorious for his frequent use of torture
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Recent Examples of tyrant
Be realistic, however: Talk such as Trump’s could be very useful to those expansionist, rapacious tyrants.
—
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 Jan. 2025
Sharon Stone plays a gunfighter who ends up in a town called Redemption, ruled with iron fist by a tyrant played by Gene Hackman.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025
This frees up Hope to be a tyrant to the wedding planning committee.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Movements, parties, and tyrants thrive on xenophobia—the word might be specifically Hellenic, but the sentiment is universal.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tyrant 
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 Jan. 2025
Sharon Stone plays a gunfighter who ends up in a town called Redemption, ruled with iron fist by a tyrant played by Gene Hackman.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2025
This frees up Hope to be a tyrant to the wedding planning committee.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Movements, parties, and tyrants thrive on xenophobia—the word might be specifically Hellenic, but the sentiment is universal.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tyrant
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Cite this Entry
“Tyrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrant. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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