strongman
noun
strong·man
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman 
: one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military methods
Synonyms
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
For years, the Kremlin strongman has been cast as a leader able to guarantee order in this vast, turbulent country.
—
Matthew Chance, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
This did not surprise anyone who watched Trump as president repeatedly kowtow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and express admiration for other strongmen like North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
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Lapses in security can be especially problematic for would-be strongmen.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2024
The vast majority of Palestinians believe Abbas and his cadres should cede leadership to a younger generation who will govern through institutions and not as strongmen.
—Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024
Billed as a 6-foot-3, 337-pound strongman, Smith was drafted in the first round of 2023 NFL Draft out of Michigan to plug the middle and anchor the run defense.
—Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Feb. 2024
In Britain, a 2022 survey of 8,000 adults by the center-right think tank Onward found 61% of this age group said such a strongman was a good way to run a country — up from 25% in 1999.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024
At the center of each procession, a strongman carried a mashael (an iron chandelier) on his muscular shoulders, its 27 flaming lamps doused in crude oil.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Starting at the turn of the previous century, Heilbrunn showcases the myriad ways in which influential conservatives, including many prominent Republicans, fawned over strongmen like the German kaiser and various Cold War-era juntas.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Matthew Chance, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
This did not surprise anyone who watched Trump as president repeatedly kowtow to Russian President Vladimir Putin and express admiration for other strongmen like North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.
—Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Lapses in security can be especially problematic for would-be strongmen.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2024
The vast majority of Palestinians believe Abbas and his cadres should cede leadership to a younger generation who will govern through institutions and not as strongmen.
—Raja Khalidi, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2024
Billed as a 6-foot-3, 337-pound strongman, Smith was drafted in the first round of 2023 NFL Draft out of Michigan to plug the middle and anchor the run defense.
—Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Feb. 2024
In Britain, a 2022 survey of 8,000 adults by the center-right think tank Onward found 61% of this age group said such a strongman was a good way to run a country — up from 25% in 1999.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2024
At the center of each procession, a strongman carried a mashael (an iron chandelier) on his muscular shoulders, its 27 flaming lamps doused in crude oil.
—Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Starting at the turn of the previous century, Heilbrunn showcases the myriad ways in which influential conservatives, including many prominent Republicans, fawned over strongmen like the German kaiser and various Cold War-era juntas.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strongman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near strongman
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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