strongman
noun
strong·man
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman 
: one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military methods
Examples of strongman in a Sentence
a Latin-American strongman who basically treated his nation's coffers as his personal bank account
Recent Examples on the Web
Nations can’t just blink away the nightmares of authoritarianism or assume that removing a strongman will resolve the societal conditions that led to his rise.
—
Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
When a tourist handed him a camera to record a few snapshots, the guide inadvertently captured scenes of a peaceful demonstration against the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Why would the Iraqi strongman have lied to his own generals?
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Ironically, that war emboldened Iran, as the vicious Iraqi strongman was a regional counterbalance to the vicious mullahs.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strongman
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Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
When a tourist handed him a camera to record a few snapshots, the guide inadvertently captured scenes of a peaceful demonstration against the regime of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Why would the Iraqi strongman have lied to his own generals?
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Ironically, that war emboldened Iran, as the vicious Iraqi strongman was a regional counterbalance to the vicious mullahs.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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