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.
Troops under the command of Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov were embroiled in the war from the earliest days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, with its forces implicated in many atrocities against Ukrainian civilians. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024 An Icelandic strongman best known for his role of Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane on HBO’s Game of Thrones, Bjornsson has also been seen in Robert Eggers’ The Northman and other projects. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024 In that environment, cynicism creeps in: If the world is a chaotic place populated with transactional strongmen, why not turn to our own? Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024 Posing as a strongman at home turns out to be different from actually being strong overseas. Daniel Block, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 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 11 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on strongman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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