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What makes someone a tyrant?
A glance at the comments posted in response to our definition of tyrant illustrate two things: the word has a fairly wide spectrum of meaning, and many political rulers of late (regardless of party and action) are thought by some to merit this description. The word is often now found used as a generalized term of reproach ("he was a real tyrant in the kitchen"), and also with more specific denotation ("the tyrant suspended the country’s judicial code"). The definitions we give for words match, as best as possible, the manner in which these words are used. We cannot offer judgment on whether or not any specific individual is or is not a tyrant.
Synonyms
Examples of tyrant in a Sentence
Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
The greatest of all tyrants thunders onto screen in this thrilling story of fossil discovery by three young boys.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024
Petty tyrants are trifling with science, national security, and the state’s economy.
—John Fund, National Review, 13 Oct. 2024
The man adores and tries to emulate dictators and tyrants.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tyrant 
Dictionary Entries Near tyrant
Cite this Entry
“Tyrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyrant. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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tyrant
noun
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