henchman

noun

hench·man ˈhench-mən

plural henchmen

Synonyms of henchman next

: a trusted follower : a right-hand man

: a political follower whose support is chiefly for personal advantage

: a member of a gang

obsolete : a squire or page to a person of high rank

Did you know?

The earliest known examples of henchman show it being used as a term for a squire or a page, but the word may have seen earlier use with the meaning "groom." It first appeared in Middle English and is a combination of Old English hengest ("a male horse") and man. One of the duties of a groom, squire, or page to a person of high rank was tending horses, and such a person was relied upon, which influenced the broader senses of henchman including "right-hand man."

Examples of henchman in a Sentence

a gangster surrounded by his henchmen

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.

His henchmen were also spotted at the headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, inciting fears that America’s premier climate and weather science agency will be dismantled. —

Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025 The oligarch’s henchmen, Igor and Garnik, have burst into Ani and Ivan’s love nest at his family home and attempt to separate the couple. —

Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025 While much of the cast and crew had established a working rhythm, Borisov’s first day on set was shooting the henchmen’s frenetic and failed effort to corral Vanya, or at least subdue Ani (Mikey Madison). —

Stuart Miller, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025 The bullet from Csonka’s henchman fractured Vo’s collarbone and hit a major vein, sending her into shock during surgery amid much blood loss. —

Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for henchman