tyranny

noun

dominance through threat of punishment and violence

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Roots

tyrannostyran- · Greek · absolute ruler

Synonyms for tyranny

despotismn dictatorshipn absolutismn monocracyn totalitarianismn authoritarianismn oppressionn autocracyn oligarchyn subjugationn

Synonyms & related words for tyranny

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of tyranny — including despotism, dictatorship, absolutism, monocracy, totalitarianism, authoritarianism. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to tyranny

Explore words related to tyranny — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include tyrannicalness, tyrannical, tyrannously, tyrannous, tyrants, despotical, despotic, tyrannic. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for tyranny

Common synonyms for tyranny include despotism, dictatorship, absolutism, monocracy, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, oppression, autocracy — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does tyranny come from?

The word tyranny breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root tyran-, from Greek tyrannos (“absolute ruler”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.