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
The Hollywood throne is not Augustus but Honorius, who had to rely on a military strongman to maintain his hold on power.
—
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Because Cuban history is full of strongmen and caudillos, ideological political leaders.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
The strike prompted the Chechen strongman to vow retaliation in an online video post, according to Reuters.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 2025
Anti-Japanese sentiment has simmered in the country since that time – flaring up and gaining traction in recent years with nationalist hardliners’ voices becoming increasingly mainstream in China under strongman leader Xi Jinping.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
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Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Because Cuban history is full of strongmen and caudillos, ideological political leaders.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
The strike prompted the Chechen strongman to vow retaliation in an online video post, according to Reuters.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 2025
Anti-Japanese sentiment has simmered in the country since that time – flaring up and gaining traction in recent years with nationalist hardliners’ voices becoming increasingly mainstream in China under strongman leader Xi Jinping.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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