tyrannous
Other forms: tyrannously
Someone who exerts their authority in a cruel or oppressive way is tyrannous. An unjust, autocratic leader of a country is a tyrannous ruler.
You might accuse your parents of being tyrannous if they don't let you go out on a school night, but unless they truly abuse their control over you, they're not literally tyrannous. A tyrant is an absolute ruler, often an illegitimate (rather than democratically elected) one, and is usually cruel. Both tyrant and tyrannous come from the Greek root tyrannos, "absolute ruler unlimited by law."
-
marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior“tyrannous disregard of human rights”synonyms: oppressive, tyrannicaldomineeringtending to domineer
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing tyrannous
As you read Act 1 of William Shakespeare's "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," learn this word list. Here are links to lists for texts in Grade 9's Collection 4: Love's Vocabulary, elements of Shakespearean drama, Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Pyramus and Thisbe, Duty
This seven-part poem tells the story of a sailor who brings a curse on his ship after killing an albatross, a giant sea bird considered to be a good omen.
This work of nonfiction tells the story of a German attack on a British ship carrying a group of children during World War II.