Standard Lemma guide

strongman

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S T R AO1 NG M AE2 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A man who performs feats of strength, as in competitions or as an attraction in a circus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A forceful or brutal person, usually a ruler or tyrant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a powerful political figure who rules by the exercise of force or violence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he is determined to bring down the Iraqi strongman

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dictator, potentate

4

noun

Meaning 4

a man who performs feats of strength at a fair or circus

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: performer, performing artist

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English strong Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English strongman From strong + -man.

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 大力士 (dàlìshì) — one who performs feats of strength
  • Danish: kraftkarl — one who performs feats of strength
  • Finnish: voimamies — one who performs feats of strength
  • German: Muskelmann — one who performs feats of strength
  • German: Kraftmensch — one who performs feats of strength
  • Greek: μασίστας (masístas) — one who performs feats of strength
  • Hungarian: erőművész — one who performs feats of strength
  • Icelandic: kraftakarl — one who performs feats of strength
  • Icelandic: vöðvatröll — one who performs feats of strength
  • Icelandic: kraftajötunn — one who performs feats of strength
  • Icelandic: aflraunamaður — one who performs feats of strength
  • Icelandic: heljarmenni — one who performs feats of strength
  • Latin: ostentātor — one who performs feats of strength
  • Latin: ostentātrix — one who performs feats of strength
  • Polish: siłacz — one who performs feats of strength
  • Polish: siłaczka — one who performs feats of strength
  • Russian: сила́ч (siláč) — one who performs feats of strength
  • Serbo-Croatian: jakota — one who performs feats of strength
  • Spanish: forzudo — one who performs feats of strength
  • Spanish: fortachón — one who performs feats of strength
  • Spanish: forzolento — one who performs feats of strength
  • Swedish: starke mannen — one who performs feats of strength
  • Chinese Mandarin: 強人 /强人 (qiángrén) — forceful or brutal person
  • Finnish: vahva mies — forceful or brutal person
  • German: Machthaber — forceful or brutal person
  • German: Diktator — forceful or brutal person
  • German: Gewaltherrscher — forceful or brutal person
  • German: Tyrann — forceful or brutal person
  • German: Despot — forceful or brutal person
  • German: starker Mann — forceful or brutal person
  • Hungarian: erőskezű vezető — forceful or brutal person
  • Hungarian: hatalmával visszaélő vezető — forceful or brutal person
  • Hungarian: diktátor — forceful or brutal person
  • Latin: brūtus — forceful or brutal person
  • Polish: mocarz — forceful or brutal person
  • Russian: автокра́т (avtokrát) — forceful or brutal person
  • Russian: тира́н (tirán) — forceful or brutal person
  • Spanish: hombre fuerte — forceful or brutal person
  • Swedish: starke man — forceful or brutal person
Real reading context

strongman in complete knowledge articles