as in minions
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
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Recent Examples of henchmen
Competing alongside two Americans, Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly), Lee methodically dispatches Han’s henchmen and avenges his sister’s death in the process.
—
David Faris, TheWeek, 20 May 2026
The silent henchmen opened the Lada’s back door and got in beside me, leaving the passenger seat empty.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Jai Courtney will play Rob-Will, a ranch foreman and one of Beulah Jackson’s henchmen.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Key witnesses in the government’s case included Spann’s top henchmen, who cooperated with prosecutors in hopes for leniency.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
This is potentially disastrous, given that Josh is now in the custody of the chairwoman’s henchmen.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
The franchise began with Despicable Me, which introduced Steve Carell as Gru, a supervillain accompanied by small, yellow, gibberish-speaking henchmen known as the Minions.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The global Jewish community is now an active front in the warfare of the Middle East — the war against the Iranian regime, and the war against its henchmen, the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
David Faris, TheWeek, 20 May 2026
The silent henchmen opened the Lada’s back door and got in beside me, leaving the passenger seat empty.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Jai Courtney will play Rob-Will, a ranch foreman and one of Beulah Jackson’s henchmen.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Key witnesses in the government’s case included Spann’s top henchmen, who cooperated with prosecutors in hopes for leniency.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
This is potentially disastrous, given that Josh is now in the custody of the chairwoman’s henchmen.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
The franchise began with Despicable Me, which introduced Steve Carell as Gru, a supervillain accompanied by small, yellow, gibberish-speaking henchmen known as the Minions.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The global Jewish community is now an active front in the warfare of the Middle East — the war against the Iranian regime, and the war against its henchmen, the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
—Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for henchmen
Noun
-
Your president and his minions spread war, chaos, lies and economic instability.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a steadiness to Tung/Wonder Woman that stands out for its quiet authority in a frequently goofy landscape peppered with poisonous robes and finger-eating minions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Since releasing Mayhem, her first new LP since 2020’s Chromatica, Mother Monster has been communing with her disciples around the world on an extensive tour, which included a massive free concert at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach last year.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
-
And their patients walk out looking refreshed, not remade — faces harmonized thanks to a mentor who taught the disciples how to see.—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
That lack of sentimentality persists throughout — through the war wherein the architect gets shipped to the Eastern Front and his wife must find a way to survive an occupation in her house of Soviet soldiers, and right up to the final section.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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Cabrera carefully handed bags of belongings to soldiers escorting a small group of families returning home to gather their things.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Henchmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/henchmen. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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