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tyrannical

[ti-ran-i-kuhl, tahy-] / tɪˈræn ɪ kəl, taɪ- /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The Scarlet Letter” has engraved Nathaniel Hawthorne’s name into our national psyche as a critic of tyrannical small-town morality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Shortly after Museveni took power in 1986, ending years of bloodshed and chaos under tyrannical rulers, the young president mused that leaders overstaying their welcome lay at the heart of Africa's problems.

From Barron's • Jan. 17, 2026

Dame Anna's tenure as editor-in-chief of US Vogue is widely rumoured to have inspired the character of Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada, a fictional portrayal of a tyrannical and revered fashion taste-maker.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2025

And having lived under the conditions of a tyrannical government, the authors of the Bill of Rights understood the primacy of free speech.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2025

"Yeah, I should get back to infuriating the cast and crew with my tyrannical direction."

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan




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