Tyrannical Meaning
/təˈrænəkəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjOf, or relating to tyranny or a tyrant.
adjDespotic, oppressive, or authoritarian.
Sentence Examples
He liked to blame most of his faults and misfortunes on a tyrannical father.
Tyrannical governments frequently gaol their political opponents.
Tyrannical governments frequently put their political opponents in prison.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The boss's ____ behavior, including yelling and threatening, made employees afraid to speak up.
Word Origin & History
From Latin tyrannicus + -al; ultimately from Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos) (absolute ruler, despot).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"She met more than a quarter of all the American presidents who have ever lived, five popes, hundreds of national leaders, from the saintly, such as Nelson Mandela, to the tyrannical, including Robert Mugabe and Nicolae Ceausescu[…]"
— September 8 2022, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The boss's ____ behavior, including yelling and threatening, made employees afraid to speak up.