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
In some cases, strongmen crave popular support, so the popular will can sustains autocratic stability.
—
Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 1 May 2025
In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
In the Oval Office Monday, Salvadoran strongman Nayib Bukele and wannabe American strongman Donald Trump sat together and, among other things, explained why Maryland father Kilmar Abrego García, sent illegally to Bukele’s CECOT mega-prison at Trump’s behest.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
Instinctive American sympathy for the underdog is supplanted by admiration for the strongman.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for strongman
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Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 1 May 2025
In a historic moment characterized by autocrats and would-be autocrats, Francis was the antithesis of a strongman.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
In the Oval Office Monday, Salvadoran strongman Nayib Bukele and wannabe American strongman Donald Trump sat together and, among other things, explained why Maryland father Kilmar Abrego García, sent illegally to Bukele’s CECOT mega-prison at Trump’s behest.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 14 Apr. 2025
Instinctive American sympathy for the underdog is supplanted by admiration for the strongman.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 26 Mar. 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 20 May. 2025.
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