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 Orbán’s comments came after Trump hosted the Hungarian strongman at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 For years, the Kremlin strongman has been cast as a leader able to guarantee order in this vast, turbulent country. Matthew Chance, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for strongman 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strongman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 6 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on strongman

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