# tyrant

/ˈtaɪɹənt/ (US) · /tˈaɪɹənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tyrant
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. cruel ruler

noun · CEFR B2

a leader of a country who has complete power and treats people cruelly.

For teachers: an absolute ruler who governs without legal restraint and exercises power oppressively or cruelly.

- The people finally rose up to overthrow the tyrant who had ruled for decades.
- History remembers him not as a visionary leader, but as a paranoid tyrant who executed anyone he perceived as a threat to his absolute authority.

### 2. bossy or cruel person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who has power over others and uses it to be mean or unfair.

For teachers: a person who exercises power or influence over others in a harsh, domineering, or unreasonable way.

- Our new manager is a bit of a tyrant who expects us to work every weekend.
- Though he was a brilliant conductor, he was a notorious tyrant in rehearsals, often reducing professional musicians to tears with his sharp tongue.

### 3. historical usurper

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Formal

in ancient history, a ruler who took power by force rather than by law.

For teachers: in an Ancient Greek context, a ruler who seized power unconstitutionally, regardless of whether their rule was beneficial or oppressive.

- In ancient Greece, a tyrant was not always a bad ruler, just one who took power illegally.
- The rise of the tyrant in the sixth century BCE often coincided with the breakdown of traditional aristocratic control over the city-state.

## Examples

- The people finally rose up against the cruel tyrant.
- History remembers him as a tyrant who imprisoned anyone who dared to disagree with his policies.
- The transition from a functional democracy to a regime led by a tyrant often begins with the systematic erosion of judicial independence and press freedom.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.