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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strongmen
The president valorized autocratic strongmen, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Xi.
—
Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 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
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
And this matters now more than ever, during a time when universities are dismantling their humanities programs and being pressured into pandering to authoritarian strongmen.
—Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 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
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
And this matters now more than ever, during a time when universities are dismantling their humanities programs and being pressured into pandering to authoritarian strongmen.
—Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongmen
Noun
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America preached democracy while supporting some of the most brutal dictators in the region.—
Shadi Hamid,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
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Yet, in a recent interview with fellow journalist Jorge Ramos, Mamdani dodged questions about whether Venezuela’s and Cuba’s rulers are dictators.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As historian Timothy Snyder warns, tyrants will always take advantage of a national crisis to consolidate their power and remove their opponents’ civil liberties.—
Rev. Nathan Empsall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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And while the band's frontman Freddie Mercury only made it into his 40s, the song's question continues to haunt people—especially aging tyrants who fear that the icy hand of death is upon their shoulder and want far more time to ensure both national and personal glory.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Strongmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strongmen. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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