tyrannize
verb /ˈtɪrənaɪz/
/ˈtɪrənaɪz/
(British English also tyrannise)
[transitive, intransitive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they tyrannize | /ˈtɪrənaɪz/ /ˈtɪrənaɪz/ |
| he / she / it tyrannizes | /ˈtɪrənaɪzɪz/ /ˈtɪrənaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple tyrannized | /ˈtɪrənaɪzd/ /ˈtɪrənaɪzd/ |
| past participle tyrannized | /ˈtɪrənaɪzd/ /ˈtɪrənaɪzd/ |
| -ing form tyrannizing | /ˈtɪrənaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈtɪrənaɪzɪŋ/ |
- to use your power to treat somebody in a cruel or unfair way
- tyrannize somebody/something a father tyrannizing his children
- After years of obeying her own husband’s mother, she felt that she was now entitled to tyrannize her daughter-in-law.
- tyrannize over somebody/something Since he took power five years ago, he has tyrannized over the people of this small nation.
Word Originlate 15th cent.: from French tyranniser, from tyran ‘tyrant’.