Adjacent Words

tyrannical definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior; "the oppressive government"; "oppressive laws"; "a tyrannical parent"; "tyrannous disregard of human rights" [syn: oppressive, tyrannical, tyrannous]
2: characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty; "an authoritarian regime"; "autocratic government"; "despotic rulers"; "a dictatorial rule that lasted for the duration of the war"; "a tyrannical government" [syn: authoritarian, autocratic, dictatorial, despotic, tyrannic, tyrannical]

Merriam Webster's

also tyrannic adjective Etymology: Latin tyrannicus, from Greek tyrannikos, from tyrannos tyrant Date: 15th century being or characteristic of a tyrant or tyranny ; despotic <tyrannical rule> <a tyrannical ruler> • tyrannically adverb • tyrannicalness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 acting like a tyrant; imperious, arbitrary. 2 given to or characteristic of tyranny. Derivatives: tyrannically adv. Etymology: OF tyrannique f. L tyrannicus f. Gk turannikos (as TYRANT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tyrannic Ty*ran"nic (?; 277), Tyrannical Ty*ran"nic*al, a. [L. tyrannicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. tyrannique. See Tyrant.] Of or pertaining to a tyrant; suiting a tyrant; unjustly severe in government; absolute; imperious; despotic; cruel; arbitrary; as, a tyrannical prince; a tyrannical master; tyrannical government. ``A power tyrannical.'' --Shak. Our sects a more tyrannic power assume. --Roscommon. The oppressor ruled tyrannic where he durst. --Pope. -- Ty*ran"nic*al*ly, adv. -- Ty*ran"nic*al*ness, .

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. If you describe someone as tyrannical, you mean that they are severe or unfair towards the people that they have authority over. He killed his tyrannical father with a blow to the head... ADJ 2. If you describe a government or organization as tyrannical, you mean that it acts without considering the wishes of its people and treats them cruelly or unfairly. ...one of the world's most oppressive and tyrannical regimes. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. See tyrannic

Moby Thesaurus

absolute, absolutist, absolutistic, arbitrary, aristocratic, arrogant, autarchic, authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic, bossy, brutal, despotic, dictatorial, domineering, feudal, grinding, harsh, heavy-handed, high-handed, imperative, imperial, imperious, lordly, magisterial, magistral, masterful, monocratic, oppressive, overbearing, overruling, peremptory, repressive, roughshod, severe, strict, suppressive, tyrannous, unjust