as in dictators
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
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Recent Examples of strongmen
Peace for Rome was tantamount to victory for Rome – or, as in this case, for one of Rome’s strongmen.
—
Timothy Joseph, The Conversation, 21 Jan. 2026
Even so, although the President’s intrinsic sympathies are with strongmen—Putin, Orbán, Kim—his strategic interests in Iran are with the protesters.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
For most of the first half of the 20th century, military strongmen ruled Venezuela and promoted the oil industry while allowing some social reforms.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Both strongmen stood accused of grave human rights violations and electoral fraud.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
Because Cuban history is full of strongmen and caudillos, ideological political leaders.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
The more India interferes with democratic processes or props up unpopular strongmen, the wider the opening becomes for China.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
But China has not made such statements, and there’s still a risk that the two strongmen can’t see eye to eye or a rogue comment throws off the delicate detente.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Milei’s libertarian economic program directly countered the Peronists’ statism, but his demagogic political style mirrors that of the old strongmen.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
Timothy Joseph, The Conversation, 21 Jan. 2026
Even so, although the President’s intrinsic sympathies are with strongmen—Putin, Orbán, Kim—his strategic interests in Iran are with the protesters.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
For most of the first half of the 20th century, military strongmen ruled Venezuela and promoted the oil industry while allowing some social reforms.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Both strongmen stood accused of grave human rights violations and electoral fraud.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
Because Cuban history is full of strongmen and caudillos, ideological political leaders.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
The more India interferes with democratic processes or props up unpopular strongmen, the wider the opening becomes for China.
—Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
But China has not made such statements, and there’s still a risk that the two strongmen can’t see eye to eye or a rogue comment throws off the delicate detente.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Milei’s libertarian economic program directly countered the Peronists’ statism, but his demagogic political style mirrors that of the old strongmen.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongmen
Noun
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With a bottomless well of ideas, relentless encouragement, and a grin that only seems to widen by the season, the Wichita, Kansas, native runs TV’s most prolific reality competition series as the most benevolent of dictators.—
David Canfield,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
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Based in Boston, the international corporation networked with dictators and local officials in Central America, many Caribbean islands and parts of South America to acquire immense estates for railroads and banana plantations.—
Aaron Coy Moulton,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Those historians were impressed by how much personal force the old tyrants could generate.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
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The world is full of bad actors—cheats, liars, tyrants, sickos—who are, ultimately, mere human beings; at least, this was how rationality would have it.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strongmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongmen. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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