Synonyms of strongman

strongman

noun

ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman 

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

• dictator
• tyrant
• despot
• pharaoh
• warlord
• ruler
• oppressor
• man on horseback
• tycoon
• führer
• caesar
• overlord
• autocrat
• leader
• authoritarian
• prince
• king
• magnate
• potentate
• caudillo
• totalitarian
• monarch
• baron
• tyrannizer
• boss
• dominator
• sovereign
• chief
• master
• czar
• kingpin
• queen
• Big Brother
• mogul
• lord
• autarch
• monocrat
• paramount
• captain
• enforcer
• taskmaster
• martinet
• disciplinarian
• discipliner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of strongman

Fury outboxed strongman Eddie Hall en route to a majority decision win. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Valencia is considered the political protege of Colombia's former president and strongman Álvaro Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States and whose government beat back FARC rebels in an offensive that took a massive civilian toll. — ABC News, 31 May 2026

When Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez nationalized the ports at Puerto Cabello in 2009, Epstein advised the chief executive of the Dubai multinational that had operated it on how to navigate the situation. — Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026

He’s obsessed with positioning Putin as the kind of strongman who ordinary Russians want to lead them out of financial downturns and corruption crises. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026