as in minion
disapproving
a trusted follower or supporter who performs unpleasant, wrong, or illegal tasks for a powerful person (such as a politician or criminal)
a gangster surrounded by his henchmen
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of henchman
When Martin gets blackmailed by gangsters, the pair knock off a mafia henchman and plunge themselves deep into the Australian underworld, all while trying to keep their business afloat.
—
David Faris, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
During the ensuing gun battle between soldiers and cartel henchmen, Oseguera escaped.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
With that framing, his followers could demean Black protesters and vilify federal agents and Jews, notably those who linked arms with their Black neighbors to demand equal rights — as the rabbi at Beth Israel had increasingly done before Bowers’ henchmen bombed his synagogue and then his home.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for henchman
David Faris, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
At his orders, cartel henchmen began setting fire to vehicles, gas stations and government buildings and blockaded major highways.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
During the ensuing gun battle between soldiers and cartel henchmen, Oseguera escaped.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
With that framing, his followers could demean Black protesters and vilify federal agents and Jews, notably those who linked arms with their Black neighbors to demand equal rights — as the rabbi at Beth Israel had increasingly done before Bowers’ henchmen bombed his synagogue and then his home.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for henchman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for henchman
Noun
-
There are shooting options connected with Universal’s app, where selections include firing off steel spheres, fireballs and, as minions would have it, bananas.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Watch for Kara's intense ocular heat ray blasts and some fancy flying while she and Lobo battle Krem and his minions off-Earth.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples, marking the institution of Holy Communion and the washing of feet, symbolizing humility and service, according to the Presbyterian Church.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Last Supper with his disciples.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Military police are often the only armed personnel on base, outside of shooting ranges, hunting areas or in training, where soldiers can wield their service weapons without ammunition.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The village’s Black residents, including Hettie, are energized by a promising but tangled effort to redress a long-standing injustice—the unequal compensation received by Black South African soldiers in the Second World War.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Henchman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/henchman. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
