Word
tyranny
Phoneticstyran·ny
US/ˈtɪɹəni/
UK/tˈɪɹənˌi/
Definitions
01oppressive government
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a government where one person has all the power and treats people cruelly.
n. a political system in which a single ruler exercises absolute power, typically in a cruel or oppressive manner.
“The people finally rose up to end decades of tyranny and demand their freedom.”
“The revolution was born from a collective desire to dismantle the long-standing tyranny that had suppressed political dissent for generations.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to a specific regime.
Synonyms
02cruel use of power
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the unfair or cruel use of power over other people.
n. the arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power or control over others.
“The children suffered under the tyranny of their strict and unkind headmaster.”
“The essay explores the tyranny of social expectations and how they limit individual expression in modern society.”
Usage
Can be used metaphorically to describe non-political situations of control.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“She refused to submit to the tyranny of digital culture and loathed the Smartphone she was given during her illness.” “It is a mad, daunting, haunting film which somehow persuades you that Landau is at the sulphurous centre of Soviet tyranny.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English tirannye, from Old French tyrannie, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, tyrania, from Ancient Greek τυραννία (turannía, “tyranny”), from τύραννος (túrannos, “lord, master, sovereign, tyrant”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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