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strongman

or strong man

[strawng-man, strong-]
See more synonyms for strongman on Thesaurus.com
noun, plural strong·men.
  1. a person who performs remarkable feats of strength, as in a circus.
  2. a political leader who controls by force; dictator.
  3. the most powerful or influential person in an organization or business, by reason of skill in the formulation and execution of plans, work, etc.

Origin of strongman

First recorded in 1855–60; strong + man1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for strongman

autocrat, tyrant, despot, adviser, tycoon, authoritarian, disciplinarian, fascist, totalitarian, commander, mogul, chief, oppressor, magnate, boss, leader, ringleader, usurper, absolutist, oligarch

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Contemporary Examples of strongman

British Dictionary definitions for strongman

strongman

noun plural -men
  1. a performer, esp one in a circus, who performs feats of strength
  2. any person regarded as a source of power, capability, initiative, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012