strongman

noun

strong·​man ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman How to pronounce strongman (audio)
: 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.
The Down-to-Earth Pope In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman. Bluesky Social, 21 Apr. 2025 Weakness in such moments is only an invitation to the strongman to dominate you further. Ars Staff, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2025 That innocent people are disappearing into El Salvador’s prisons is no secret—making the embrace of Bukele a disturbing signal of just how far a strongman can go without losing political ground. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025 And even a strongman must deliver results to maintain his grip on power. Gonul Tol, Foreign Affairs, 21 Mar. 2025 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 5 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!