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Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

1 4.6
The 33rd United States President who led the country after World War II and started the Cold War
  • proper noun
  • /ˈhæri ɛs ˈtruːmən/
translation icon : Harry S. Truman
  • In 1945, President Harry S. Truman made the historic decision to use atomic bombs against Japan.
  • Harry S. Truman, President
  • Harry S. Truman Library
  • U.S. President Harry S. Truman

Examples

  • Still not included in this astounding report are the survivors such as Andrew Jackson, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Gerald Ford, all of whom escaped without a scratch.

    Blog text (29)
  • According to President Harry S. Truman, "The Buck Stops in the Oval Office!"

    Blog text (29)
  • In 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Science Foundation into existence.

    Academic text (2003)
  • For example, on 26 July 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981.

    Blog text (6)
  • From: "Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman," referring to what happened to his grandmother during the Civil War.

    Blog text (29)
  • President George W. Bush conjured up the spirit of Harry S. Truman when he proposed a new Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Wallace was so extreme that FDR fortunately dropped him from the ticket at the 1944 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and replaced him with Sen. Harry S. Truman of Missouri.

    Blog text (29)
  • During the presidency of Harry S. Truman, the federal government belatedly acknowledged its responsibility in the area of civil rights and initiated efforts to eliminate some of the more egregious forms of racial discrimination.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The incident occurred about 3:30 p.m. while the ships were engaged in exercises with the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Carrier Strike Group.

    Blog text (29)
  • One is with Harry S. Truman from 1945 to 1953. On the back of the coin, it has the date he was born and a history on it, and the date he died, which was December 26, 1972. The other coin I have is Abraham Lincoln, 1861 to 1865, with history on the back of it, too, with the date he died, April 15, 1865. It also states when they were president.

    Blog text (29)

Synonyms

Truman
vsHarry S. Truman
553 3.9

The 33rd president of the United States who led the country at World War II's end and ordered atomic bombs

gives the complete personal name rather than the short surname
Harry Truman
vsHarry S. Truman
11 4.7

The 33rd President of the United States from 1945 to 1953 who allows the use of atomic bombs on Japan

includes the middle initial and fuller leadership description
President Truman
vsHarry S. Truman
7 3.8

Leader of the United States from 1945 to 1953 who ordered atomic bombs to be dropped on Japan

is the full personal name form without the official title
Harry S Truman
vsHarry S. Truman
3.7

The 33rd President of the United States who led after World War II and used atomic bombs on Japan

uses the same name but the initial is punctuated

Surface Forms

Morphology

Harry + S. + Truman

This is a proper name; knowing the constituent parts 'Harry', 'S.' and 'Truman' does not allow a learner to infer the referent's identity, dates, or role as the 33rd U.S. president. Proper names are arbitrary and require world-knowledge or prior exposure rather than compositional analysis, so the meaning is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Harry S. Truman gets his name from the unusual middle initial S. The S did not stand for a single name but honored both of his grandfathers, so he used just 'S' as his middle, and that is why we remember him as Harry S. Truman.