Dean Acheson was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the United States Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953. Often considered one of America's most influential foreign policy makers, Acheson was a key figure in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild Europe after World War II. Some synonyms for Dean Acheson may include statesman, diplomat, lawyer, strategist, negotiator, visionary, and leader. His contributions to American foreign policy are widely acknowledged, and his name is still invoked by politicians and scholars today.