strongman

noun

strong·​man ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman 

: one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military methods

Synonyms of strongman

• dictator
• tyrant

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

The strongman is failing, even as the opposition struggles to inspire a great deal of conviction and enthusiasm. — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

But for Vladimir Putin, Russia’s strongman president, the real benefit isn’t the billions of dollars in fresh revenue. — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026

Trump’s preoccupation with authoritarian strongmen like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un is a slap in the face of a Cuban refugee trying to make a life for his family in Miami. — S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Robert Mugabe, longtime strongman of Zimbabwe, printed money to ensure his party kept control of the country and to finance the nation's deficits. — Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for strongman

• afghan
• bedpan
• began
• caveman
• chapin
• cyan
• deadpan
• dextran
• divan
• doorman
• fishman
• flagman