tyrant
tyrant Lexical Profile
tyrant Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A cruel and oppressive ruler who exercises absolute power, often unrestrained by law or constitution.
"The citizens eventually organized a rebellion to overthrow the tyrant who had terrorized their nation for decades."
Any person who exercises power or control in a cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary way over others.
"The new department manager acted like a petty tyrant, micromanaging every task and berating employees for minor mistakes."
In ancient Greece, a ruler who seized power unconstitutionally or inherited such power, not necessarily characterized by cruelty.
"Many Greek city-states experienced periods of stability, monumental building projects, and economic growth under the rule of a popular tyrant."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although the term originally referred to any absolute ruler in ancient Greece without inherent moral judgment, its modern usage carries an overwhelmingly negative connotation of cruelty, oppression, and arbitrary abuse of power.
• Rhymes for tyrant
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'tiran', via Latin 'tyrannus', from the ancient Greek 'tyrannos', meaning an absolute ruler or sovereign.