noun
tyrant
TEYE-ruhnt
noun
1
A ruler who governs cruelly and unfairly, often having seized power illegally.
"The people finally rose up against the tyrant."
"He ruled the small kingdom like a tyrant, crushing any dissent."
2
Informally, anyone who treats the people under them harshly or unfairly.
"Her manager was a total tyrant about lunch breaks."
How to Use Tyrant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA cruel, unjust ruler — or, more loosely, anyone who bosses others around harshly.
Common pairings
a ruthless tyrant
act like a tyrant
Word Forms
tyranted past tense, tyrants plural, tyrants singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “tyrant”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The people finally rose up against the _____.
Etymology
From Old French tyrant, ultimately from the Greek word for a usurper or absolute ruler.