Thesaurus results for STRONGMEN

strongmen

noun

plural of strongman

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

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 strongmen Min Aung Hlaing’s ascent to the presidency follows a tradition of military strongmen installing themselves as the nation’s top leader and seeking to legitimize their rule through unfair elections. —

ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026 The father and son strongmen have frequently paired up to train together and have been spotted rehearsing the elegant poses that made Schwarzenegger a star. —

Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 America does not belong to strongmen, greedy billionaires, or those who rule through fear. —

Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for strongmen

Noun

Imperatori-Lee said that global reach gave him a first-hand perspective on how Washington’s economic and military policies — including backing dictators in Latin America — have negatively affected less powerful nations and their citizens.

— Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Imperatori-Lee said that global reach gave him a first-hand perspective on how Washington's economic and military policies — including backing dictators in Latin America — have negatively affected less powerful nations and their citizens.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026