as in dictator
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
a Latin-American strongman who basically treated his nation's coffers as his personal bank account
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strongman
Valencia is considered the political protege of Colombia's former president and strongman Álvaro Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States and whose government beat back FARC rebels in an offensive that took a massive civilian toll.
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ABC News,
31 May 2026
When Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez nationalized the ports at Puerto Cabello in 2009, Epstein advised the chief executive of the Dubai multinational that had operated it on how to navigate the situation.
—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2026
He’s obsessed with positioning Putin as the kind of strongman who ordinary Russians want to lead them out of financial downturns and corruption crises.
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David Sims,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
After a surprise, landslide electoral defeat brought down longtime strongman Viktor Orbán last month, there’s a breath of new life in the Hungarian film industry.
—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for strongman
ABC News,
31 May 2026
When Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez nationalized the ports at Puerto Cabello in 2009, Epstein advised the chief executive of the Dubai multinational that had operated it on how to navigate the situation.
—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2026
He’s obsessed with positioning Putin as the kind of strongman who ordinary Russians want to lead them out of financial downturns and corruption crises.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
After a surprise, landslide electoral defeat brought down longtime strongman Viktor Orbán last month, there’s a breath of new life in the Hungarian film industry.
—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongman
Noun
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And following the ousting of longtime dictator Bashir Al-Assad, Syria continues to have armed conflict and sectarian violence.
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The most dangerous weapon for a democracy to put in control of an aspiring dictator is not necessarily the police or the military.
Noun
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Aegon, dragged out of King’s Landing by spymaster Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) in an effort to save him from the fratricidal Aemond, gets an up-close look at the petty tyrants who have sprouted up in the countryside thanks to his impetuous rule.
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Examples range from businesses like Enron, Tyco, and Bernie Madoff, along with historical tyrants like Stalin or Hitler to modern figures like Putin, and industries like tobacco that knowingly harm users for profit.
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongman. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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