Synonyms for tyrannical
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Autocratic — despotic, oppressive, or authoritarian
autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, domineering, authoritarian, high-handed, heavy-handed, imperious, bossy, arbitrary, lordly, absolute, overbearing, arrogant, peremptory, authoritative, magisterial, tyrannic dated
2. Oppressive
Other
hard-handed, tyrannial dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
Despotic, oppressive, or authoritarian.
- adj. 2
Of, or relating to tyranny or a tyrant.
Related words
- Word family
- tyrannically
Choose the right word
Despotic is commonly applied to a masterful or severe use of power, which is expressed more decidedly by tyrannical. Irresponsible power is not necessarily bad, but eminently dangerous; an executor or trustee should not be irresponsible; an irresponsible ruler is likely to be tyrannical.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- dictatorial Bouteflika granted himself dictatorial powers.
- autocratic I recalled her as an energetic, autocratic personality.
- domineering The domineering man pulls everyone into his vortex.
- despotic The administrators of that forum are very despotic.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| tyrannical | steady | |
| dictatorial | steady | |
| autocratic | steady | |
| domineering | rising | |
| despotic | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- bossy2
- 6 letters
- severe2, lordly2
- 8 letters
- absolute3, arrogant3, despotic3, tyrannic
- 9 letters
- arbitrary4, imperious4, tyrannous, tyrannial
- 10 letters
- oppressive3, autocratic4, peremptory4
- 11 letters
- dictatorial5, overbearing4, domineering4, magisterial5
- 13 letters
- authoritarian6, authoritative5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (bossy2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- tyrannique
- Italiano
- tirannico
- Español
- tiránico
- Deutsch
- selbstherrlich
- Català
- tirànic