Truman

American  

[troo-muhn] / ˈtru mən /

noun

1. Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Bess, 1885–1982, U.S. First Lady 1945–53 (wife of Harry S Truman).

2. Harry S, 1884–1972, 33rd president of the U.S. 1945–53.

3. a male given name.

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Truman British  

/ ˈtruːmən /

noun

1. Harry S . 1884–1972, US Democratic statesman; 33rd president of the US (1945–53). He approved the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan (1945), advocated the postwar loan to Britain, and involved the US in the Korean War

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Compare meaning

How does truman compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Truman vs. MacArthur

Example Sentences

After Mao defeated Chiang Kai-shek during the Truman years, many in the U.S. debated who lost China.

From The Wall Street Journal

In September 1946, Truman imposed an arms embargo on the Nationalists.

From The Wall Street Journal

The “Truman Show”-like window into the eagles’ lives has played a major role in their fame, but it doesn’t fully explain it.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Crown” beat him to it, so we got “Capote vs. The Swans” along with its greatest accomplishment: Bowen Yang’s Truman Capote impersonation on “Saturday Night Live.”

From Salon

More recently, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant vessel in Feb. 12, 2025, near Port Said, Egypt.

From The Wall Street Journal