strongman

noun

strong·​man ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman How to pronounce strongman (audio)
: one who leads or controls by force of will and character or by military methods

Examples of strongman in a Sentence

a Latin-American strongman who basically treated his nation's coffers as his personal bank account
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The president-elect is condemned by critics as a dangerous isolationist who emboldens strongmen and hailed by supporters as a forthright defender of American interests, and most observers at least agree that a second Trump era will be unpredictable. Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 On his Fox show, Carlson did fawning interviews with four sitting heads of state, all aspiring proto-authoritarian strongmen: Nayib Bukele, of El Salvador; Jair Bolsonaro, of Brazil; Viktor Orbán, of Hungary; and Donald Trump. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 Matt Reynolds is a former professional strongman, gym owner, successful strength coach, podcast host. Matt Reynolds, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 Partners View all partners Email X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn The death of Alberto Fujimori, the deeply divisive former Peruvian president, comes amid a resurgence of interest in the former strongman – both from supporters and detractors. Ñusta Carranza Ko, The Conversation, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strongman 

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strongman was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near strongman

Cite this Entry

“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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