tyrannous

adjective

tyr·​an·​nous ˈtir-ə-nəs How to pronounce tyrannous (audio)
: marked by tyranny
especially : unjustly severe
tyrannous new laws
tyrannously adverb

Examples of tyrannous in a Sentence

studied the tyrannous rule of Stalin, communist dictator of the Soviet Union my older sister is a tyrannous bore who isn't happy unless she's in charge
Recent Examples on the Web Indeed, Daniel Roher’s pulse-pumping documentary about the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has all the ingredients: a mysterious case of near-fatal poisoning, a web of for-hire hoodlums, Vladimir Putin as the tyrannous leader behind it all. Tomris Laffly, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Feb. 2022 The same study posited that Fela was not the only popular musician who confronted the military and tyrannous leaders of Nigeria between independence in 1960 and Fela’s passing in 1997. Garhe Osiebe, Quartz Africa, 21 Feb. 2021 The patriarchs of their respective homes, Polonius (Peter Friedman) and Claudius (Ritchie Coster) enthrone themselves on the toilet, oblivious of the tumult their tyrannous treachery has wreaked. Syringes creepily replace swords. Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 19 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tyrannous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tyrannous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tyrannous

Cite this Entry

“Tyrannous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrannous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tyrannous

adjective
tyr·​an·​nous ˈtir-ə-nəs How to pronounce tyrannous (audio)
tyrannously adverb
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