tyrannical

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /təˈrænɪkəl/ UK /tɪˈrænɪkl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
exercising power in a cruel, oppressive, and arbitrary way

The tyrannical ruler crushed every hint of dissent.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · exercising power in a... despotic oppressive autocratic dictatorial domineering authoritarian draconian

Opposites

lenient democratic liberal benevolent

Word family

Forms tyrannictyrannically

Derived forms tyrannically

Related forms tyrant tyranny tyrannize tyrannous

Etymology

From tyrannic (from Latin tyrannicus, from Greek tyrannikos) + -al. Ultimately from Ancient Greek tyrannos ('absolute ruler, monarch'), a word of pre-Greek origin.

tyrannicus Latin tyrannos Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# tyrannical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /təˈrænɪkəl/
**IPA (UK):** /tɪˈrænɪkl/

## Meanings
1. exercising power in a cruel, oppressive, and arbitrary way

## Examples
- The tyrannical ruler crushed every hint of dissent.

## Synonyms
- despotic
- oppressive
- autocratic
- dictatorial
- domineering
- authoritarian
- draconian

## Antonyms
- lenient
- democratic
- liberal
- benevolent

## Derived Forms
- tyrannically

## Related Forms
- tyrant
- tyranny
- tyrannize
- tyrannous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: tyrannicus
- Root: tyrannos

## Etymology
From tyrannic (from Latin tyrannicus, from Greek tyrannikos) + -al. Ultimately from Ancient Greek tyrannos ('absolute ruler, monarch'), a word of pre-Greek origin.

## AI Etymology
Tyrannical comes from tyrannic (from Latin tyrannicus, from Greek tyrannikos) + -al. Ultimately from Ancient Greek tyrannos ('absolute ruler, monarch'), a word of pre-Greek origin. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As an adjective, it carries the sense "exercising power in a cruel, oppressive, and arbitrary way", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin tyrannicus and Ancient Greek tyrannos. Derivative forms include tyrannically; related words include tyrant, tyranny, tyrannize, tyrannous.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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