👩‍⚖️ A female ruler 🏋️‍♀️ A female athlete

strongwoman

1 8.6

A woman who rules by force and violence

noun
/ˈstrɔŋˌwʊmən/

Literature

: mujer fuerte

Some compare her leadership style to past strongwoman rulers in history.

Examples

Despite international criticism, the strongwoman tightened her grip on power.
The strongwoman led the country with an iron fist.
The country has been ruled by a strongwoman who tolerates no dissent.
Many consider Angela Merkel a powerful strongwoman in Europe.
The country fell under the control of a powerful strongwoman who used military force to maintain her rule.
As a strongwoman in the political arena, she was known for her tough stance on national security.
During the crisis, the strongwoman took decisive action, using her authority to stabilize the government.

Synonyms

strongman

vsstrongwoman

Literature

8 7.4

A male political leader who keeps power by using force and fear

is the same type of ruler but of the opposite gender

Iron Lady

vsstrongwoman

Literature

1 7.2

A nickname for a woman political leader, not only Margaret Thatcher, seen as strong and strict

highlights firmness in style rather than ruling by force or violence

How Authoritarian

dictator

218 4.2

strongwoman

Literature

1 8.6

tyrant

Offensive

83 5.8

authoritarian

5 8.2

Surface Forms

strongwoman singular

strongwomen plural

Morphology

strongwoman = strong + woman (semi-transparent) = strong + woman

The compound literally combines 'strong' + 'woman', but the political sense 'female authoritarian leader' is a metaphorical extension not fully predictable from the components.

Etymology

Strongwoman is a modern combination of strong ('powerful') and woman, made like the older word strongman that named forceful leaders. So it means a woman who rules or keeps power by force or violence.