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Glite Dictionary
to tyrannize

to tyrannize

2 8.4
To treat people in a cruel and unfair way
  • verb
  • /tɪˈræn.aɪz/
  • US
translation icon : tiranizar
  • Fearful of retribution, the workers felt they had no choice but to obey their boss, who would tyrannize them without mercy.

Gaddafi didn't govern, he just tyrannized.

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Examples

  • Walker believes that "the expansion of the boundaries of American Studies is a general rule of behavior," and that American Studies is "a movement that refuses to be tyrannized by artificial and arbitrary ideas of order."

    Academic text (1992)

  • Also, dependence on her became a weapon: he could tyrannize her by shouting for her help and then tyrannize her some more when she did something wrong.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Why do you allow it to tyrannize over you?

  • Will they tyrannize upon the church?

    Edward II (1991)

  • President would never have allowed people to be tyrannized in that way.

  • Just as we would not send any of our soldiers to march in other states... ...and tyrannize other people... ...so will we never allow the armies of others to march into our state... ...and tyrannize our people.

    Gods and Generals (2003)

  • Which means that Kathryn will tyrannize us forever," Lowell says.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Thus, in the daughter's version of the story, the mother seems to tyrannize the father with her obsessive bathing and her refusals to leave her bed.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The dictator continued to tyrannize the citizens, crushing any opposition with brutal force.

  • Throughout history, many leaders have chosen to tyrannize their people instead of ruling justly.

Synonyms

to oppress
vsto tyrannize
152 6.5

To treat people cruelly or unfairly using power to limit their rights

rules over people in a cruel authoritarian way
to victimize
vsto tyrannize
  • US
70 6.0

Treat someone cruelly or unfairly so they suffer

rules people cruelly as a leader rather than only harming individuals
to brutalize
vsto tyrannize
  • Offensive
34 7.7

Treat someone cruelly with violence or make them numb to suffering

rules by cruel oppression rather than only using violent acts
to subjugate
vsto tyrannize
  • Formal
21 9.2

To bring someone or something under control, often by force

rules over people cruelly rather than simply seizing control
to domineer
vsto tyrannize
2 8.8

To boss other people around and not let them speak

rules people cruelly with power rather than mere personal domination
to grind down
vsto tyrannize
8.5

Make people suffer and control them by force

rules people cruelly rather than only wearing them down slowly
to act like a tsar
vsto tyrannize
  • Informal
8.9

Behave like a king and ignore other people's ideas

rules others cruelly as a harsh ruler rather than just acting bossy

Antonyms

to liberate
104 4.3

Set someone free from prison or unfair control

How Oppressive

to brutalize
  • Offensive
34 7.7
to tyrannize
  • US
2 8.4
to persecute
98 7.0
to oppress
152 6.5
to mistreat
63 2.9

Surface Forms

tyrannize infinitive
tyrannized past
tyrannized past participle
tyrannizing present participle
tyrannizes third person singular

Morphology

tyrannize = tyrant (transparent) = tyrant + ize

Clear verb formation from the noun 'tyrant' with the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize', meaning 'to act like a tyrant'.

Etymology

Tyrannize comes from the Greek word tyrannos, which means 'absolute ruler'. So, to tyrannize is to act like a tyrant, to rule or treat people in a cruel and unfair way.