strongman
noun
strong·man
ˈstrȯŋ-ˌman 
: 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
But where Trump sees military might and American exceptionalism, his critics see a wannabe strongman putting on a parade for himself.
—
Brett Samuels, The Hill, 28 May 2025
While Putin’s predominant image in the outside world is that of a ruthless strongman, for domestic audiences the Kremlin has tried to soften this image.
—Peter Rutland, The Conversation, 9 May 2025
The other is informal, arising from civil society, in which gangs, strongmen, vigilante groups, neighborhood watches, and political and religious organizations enforce norms, frequently through violence.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
In 1989, Sconce was sentenced to five years in prison for mutilating corpses, holding mass cremations at $55 a body and hiring strongmen to assault three rival morticians.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
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Brett Samuels, The Hill, 28 May 2025
While Putin’s predominant image in the outside world is that of a ruthless strongman, for domestic audiences the Kremlin has tried to soften this image.
—Peter Rutland, The Conversation, 9 May 2025
The other is informal, arising from civil society, in which gangs, strongmen, vigilante groups, neighborhood watches, and political and religious organizations enforce norms, frequently through violence.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
In 1989, Sconce was sentenced to five years in prison for mutilating corpses, holding mass cremations at $55 a body and hiring strongmen to assault three rival morticians.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
Cite this Entry
“Strongman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strongman. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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