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
America does not belong to strongmen, greedy billionaires, or those who rule through fear.
—
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
With such a destructive geopolitical conflict driven by several strongmen leaders, the industry was always going to feel the ramifications.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
Nor do strongmen have a pristine record as economic stewards.
—Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The trouble, to paraphrase Adam Phillips, is that strongmen tend to bring out the strongman in us all.
—Emily Chamlee-Wright, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
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
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
With such a destructive geopolitical conflict driven by several strongmen leaders, the industry was always going to feel the ramifications.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
Nor do strongmen have a pristine record as economic stewards.
—Alaa Shahine Salha, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The trouble, to paraphrase Adam Phillips, is that strongmen tend to bring out the strongman in us all.
—Emily Chamlee-Wright, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongmen
Noun
-
Although American forces have arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and killed several Iranian leaders, removing the dictators has not dislodged the dictatorships in either Caracas or Tehran.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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Long before the birth of Julius Caesar, the Roman Republic appointed all-powerful dictators to protect their state in times of crisis.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ready to meet the season's new allies, enemies, tyrants, and giants?—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
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At the time, Athens had just emerged from a period of dictatorship and some of his students had been among the tyrants who sought to take down Athens’ democracy.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strongmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongmen. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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