strongman

noun

strong·​man ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman How to pronounce strongman (audio)
Synonyms of strongmannext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the operation that captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro in January, Special Operations Forces were on the ground for less than an hour. Sheena Samu, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 America does not belong to strongmen, greedy billionaires, or those who rule through fear. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026 The two countries have been intertwined over the last year or so, even more intensely since the US military’s raid on Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro’s compound that led to the longtime strongman being captured and taken away to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for strongman

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strongman was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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