tyrant

/ˈtaɪrənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtaɪrənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtī-rənt/ (ame, mw)

tyrant — 名詞

  • tyrantsingular
  • tyrantsplural

1. a ruler with total control over a nation who governs harshly and unjustly, ignor

1.名詞B1
釋義

暴君

握有絕對權力又殘酷統治的領袖

a ruler with total control over a nation who governs harshly and unjustly, ignoring what the population wants or suffers.

例句

The tyrant jailed every journalist who wrote about the failed harvest.

這位暴君把每一位報導歉收事件的記者都關進牢裡。

subject: the tyrant + transitive verb of repression

After thirty years under a cruel tyrant, the villagers finally marched on the palace.

在殘酷暴君的統治下度過三十年後，村民終於走上街頭包圍王宮。

collocation: cruel tyrant; pattern: under a tyrant

同義詞
  • dictator

    covers any one-person ruler, cruel or not; 'tyrant' always implies cruelty and injustice.

  • despot

    more formal and historical; emphasises treating subjects as personal property.

  • autocrat

    focuses on the structure of one-person rule; does not necessarily imply cruelty.

反義詞
  • democrat

    a ruler chosen by and answerable to the people, rather than ruling by force.

用法筆記

Subject is typically a head of state or absolute monarch; frequently used in historical and political writing. Distinguish from sense 2 (DOMINEERING PERSON), which refers to people abusing authority on a smaller, personal scale rather than ruling a country.

常見錯誤

❌He is a tyrant person.
✅He is a tyrannical person.
💡'tyrant' is a noun, not an adjective; use the adjective 'tyrannical' before another noun.

2. someone in a small position of power — a boss, parent, coach, or teacher — who t

2.名詞B2
釋義

霸道之人

在職場或家庭中濫權壓迫他人的人

someone in a small position of power — a boss, parent, coach, or teacher — who treats the people under them in a harsh, controlling way without caring about their feelings.

例句

The new office manager turned out to be a petty tyrant who refused to listen to anyone.

新來的辦公室經理原來是個小霸王，完全聽不進任何人的意見。

collocation: petty tyrant

Christopher became a tyrant after the head coach quit, making the players train until midnight.

總教練辭職後，Christopher 變得十分專橫，逼球員一路訓練到半夜。

同義詞
  • bully

    uses threats or strength to intimidate; does not always hold formal authority, unlike a tyrant in this sense.

  • oppressor

    broader; anyone who keeps others down through harsh treatment, including outside personal settings.

  • martinet

    narrower; a strict person who insists on petty rules and discipline, without the cruelty 'tyrant' implies.

反義詞
  • pushover

    informal; someone too easy on the people under them, the opposite of a controlling boss.

用法筆記

Often preceded by a modifier that specifies the setting: 'petty tyrant' (workplace, small group), 'domestic tyrant' (within a family). Distinguish from sense 1 (CRUEL RULER): sense 2 does NOT refer to political leaders, only to people abusing authority in everyday settings.

常見錯誤

❌My boss is tyrant with us.
✅My boss is a tyrant to us.
💡'tyrant' is a countable noun and needs an article; the typical preposition is 'to' or 'toward'.