big stick

noun

: threat especially of military or political intervention

Examples of big stick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Joe Don Baker, the actor who as the real-life Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1973 vigilante film Walking Tall carried a big stick to mete out his own Tennessee brand of justice, died May 7, his family has announced. Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 May 2025 Baker wielded another big stick as a Babe Ruth-like swatter in The Natural (1984) and appeared in such other films as Leonard Part 6 (1987), Cape Fear (1991), Reality Bites (1994), The Grass Harp (1995), Mars Attacks! Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025 If the Trump administration’s big stick provokes a complacent Harvard into seeking more independence, that will be a good thing. Amity Shlaes, National Review, 28 Apr. 2025 But carry a big stick, in the form of astute sagacity. Essence Editors, Essence, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for big stick

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big stick was in 1893

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big stick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20stick. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!