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.
Historically, Chinese strongmen have cycled through multiple successors before making their final selection. Tyler Jost, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2025 Moreover, to any self-respecting strongman, the very notion of an independent power center is offensive, especially one that is expressly designed to take key policy decisions out of the political realm. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 28 July 2025 Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, repeatedly praised the Russian strongman in their private meetings. Michael McFaul, Time, 16 July 2025 The Russian strongman has refused to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by the United States and its European allies earlier this year. Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 25 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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