heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: clumsy
2
: oppressive, harsh
heavy-handedly
adverb
heavy-handedness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of heavy-handed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The move, which drew condemnation across the region, sent a message in line with Mr. Noboa’s heavy-handed approach to violence and graft.
—
Genevieve Glatsky, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
The pacing slackens somewhat around the two-thirds point, then rallies for separate climaxes sentimental (when Greg finally visits his father’s deathbed) and rousing (as the Grand Canyon is reached), both handled with moving restraint rather than heavy-handed melodrama or inspirational uplift.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Where other artists’ images were heavy-handed, overworked, often tediously moralistic, Whistler’s pictures look provisional, disinterested (in the impartial, non-sentimental sense) and (to our eyes) remarkably modern.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Certainly, the Sino-Russian relationship is not without its strains, and existing tensions may be exacerbated as China grows more confident and is tempted to start bossing around the Russians in a more heavy-handed way—something that no ruler in Moscow would take lightly.
—Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
The black-and-white cinematography and the heavy-handed allusions to Caravaggio—another killer on the run in Italy, albeit several centuries prior—only intensify the pretension.
—The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Then the sixth episode fell completely flat, relying on one ridiculously laughable coincidence and a lot of heavy-handed seeding for a wishful second season.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
The country’s police forces range from public security departments and neighborhood patrols to more heavy-handed state security and paramilitary forces as well as a highly secretive civilian spy agency.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
During their time there, increasingly heavy-handed tactics were used to dislodge activists from the protest camp.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2024
Genevieve Glatsky, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
The pacing slackens somewhat around the two-thirds point, then rallies for separate climaxes sentimental (when Greg finally visits his father’s deathbed) and rousing (as the Grand Canyon is reached), both handled with moving restraint rather than heavy-handed melodrama or inspirational uplift.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Where other artists’ images were heavy-handed, overworked, often tediously moralistic, Whistler’s pictures look provisional, disinterested (in the impartial, non-sentimental sense) and (to our eyes) remarkably modern.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Certainly, the Sino-Russian relationship is not without its strains, and existing tensions may be exacerbated as China grows more confident and is tempted to start bossing around the Russians in a more heavy-handed way—something that no ruler in Moscow would take lightly.
—Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
The black-and-white cinematography and the heavy-handed allusions to Caravaggio—another killer on the run in Italy, albeit several centuries prior—only intensify the pretension.
—The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Then the sixth episode fell completely flat, relying on one ridiculously laughable coincidence and a lot of heavy-handed seeding for a wishful second season.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
The country’s police forces range from public security departments and neighborhood patrols to more heavy-handed state security and paramilitary forces as well as a highly secretive civilian spy agency.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
During their time there, increasingly heavy-handed tactics were used to dislodge activists from the protest camp.
—David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heavy-handed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-handed. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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