as in dictator
a person who uses power or authority in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way
a Latin-American strongman who basically treated his nation's coffers as his personal bank account
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of strongman
Not a defender of big landowners and industrialists, Peron broke the mold of the traditional strongman.
—
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
With so many governments today led by strongmen—or would-be strongmen—in Africa and beyond, Odinga’s passing is a landmark loss.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
These links help explain why strongman leaders often use misinformation symbolically to impress and control a population.
—Abraham Rutchick, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
Owen Power is a 6-foot-6, 226-pound strongman.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
With so many governments today led by strongmen—or would-be strongmen—in Africa and beyond, Odinga’s passing is a landmark loss.
—Ian Bremmer, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
These links help explain why strongman leaders often use misinformation symbolically to impress and control a population.
—Abraham Rutchick, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2025
Owen Power is a 6-foot-6, 226-pound strongman.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongman
Noun
-
Since then, it has been linked to financial deals for dictators Manuel Noriega and Saddam Hussein, Islamic terrorist groups and government intelligence agencies including the CIA.—
Deena Sabry,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Hitler, the dictator who led Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945, was central in enacting the genocide of 6 million Jews.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Knowing that the tyrants in the Kremlin approved all these activities does not negate their positive impact on American society.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Although Pancho Villa was considered by many Mexicans a hero of that revolution, my great-grandfather regarded him as a tyrant who forced Indigenous people into battle, treating them as little more than cannon fodder.—
jsonline.com,
jsonline.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongman. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share