A tyranny is a cruel, harsh, and unfair government in which a person or small group of people have power over everyone else.
He described these regimes as tyrannies and dictatorships.
Self-expression and individuality are the greatest weapons against tyranny.
2. uncountable noun
If you describe someone's behaviour and treatment of others that they have authority over as tyranny, you mean that they are severe with them or unfair to them.
I'm the sole victim of Mother's tyranny.
Synonyms: oppression, cruelty, dictatorship, authoritarianism More Synonyms of tyranny
3. countable noun
You can describe something that you have to use or have as a tyranny if you think it is undesirable or unpleasant.
The telephone is one of the great tyrannies of modern life. [+ of]
tyranny in British English
(ˈtɪrənɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-nies
1.
a.
government by a tyrant or tyrants; despotism
b.
similarly oppressive and unjust government by more than one person
2.
arbitrary, unreasonable, or despotic behaviour or use of authority
the teacher's tyranny
3.
any harsh discipline or oppression
the tyranny of the clock
4.
a political unit ruled by a tyrant
5.
(esp in ancient Greece) government by a usurper
6.
a tyrannical act
Derived forms
tyrannous (ˈtyrannous)
adjective
tyrannously (ˈtyrannously)
adverb
tyrannousness (ˈtyrannousness)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French tyrannie, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, from Latin tyrannustyrant
tyranny in American English
(ˈtɪrəni)
nounWord forms: pluralˈtyrannies
1.
the office, authority, government, or jurisdiction of a tyrant, or absolute ruler
2.
oppressive and unjust government; despotism
3.
very cruel and unjust use of power or authority
4.
harshness; rigor; severity
5.
a tyrannical act
Word origin
ME tirannie < OFr < ML tyrannia < Gr
Examples of 'tyranny' in a sentence
tyranny
In this case, I imagine he'll rant and rave against the tyranny of time.
Tapply, William G A RODENT OF DOUBT (2001)
Sam missed his parents, not just because they might free him from Ellimere's tyranny.
Garth Nix LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
Quotations
Tyranny is always better organised than freedomCharles PéguyBasic Verities
Word lists with
tyranny
government
In other languages
tyranny
British English: tyranny NOUN
A tyranny is a cruel, harsh, and unfair government in which a person or small group of people have power over everyone else.
He described these regimes as tyrannies and dictatorships.
American English: tyranny
Brazilian Portuguese: tirania
Chinese: 专制暴政
European Spanish: tiranía
French: tyrannie
German: Tyrannei
Italian: tirannia
Japanese: 暴政
Korean: 전제 정치
European Portuguese: tirania
Latin American Spanish: tiranía
(noun)
Definition
oppressive and unjust government by more than one person
I'm the sole victim of her tyranny.
Synonyms
oppression
an attempt to escape political oppression
cruelty
dictatorship
a long period of military dictatorship
authoritarianism
reign of terror
They accused him of carrying out a reign of terror.
despotism
a prototypical example of political despotism
autocracy
Many poor countries are abandoning autocracy.
absolutism
the triumphal reassertion of royal absolutism
coercion
high-handedness
harsh discipline
unreasonableness
imperiousness
peremptoriness
Opposites
understanding
,
democracy
,
ease
,
mercy
,
relaxation
,
tolerance
,
leniency
,
laxity
,
liberality
Quotation
Tyranny is always better organised than freedom [Charles Péguy – Basic Verities]
Seefascism
Synonyms of 'tyranny'
tyranny
Explore 'tyranny' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dictatorship
a long period of military dictatorship
Synonyms
absolute rule,
tyranny,
totalitarianism,
authoritarianism,
reign of terror,
despotism,
autocracy,
absolutism
in the sense of reign of terror
They accused him of carrying out a reign of terror.