heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: clumsy
2
: oppressive, harsh
heavy-handedly
adverb
heavy-handedness
noun
Examples of heavy-handed in a Sentence
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
Recent Examples on the Web
Conversely, failure to address pricing inequities will keep U.S. consumers shouldering disproportionate costs, fueling political pressure for heavy-handed solutions.
—
Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Although the riots swiftly died down after the initial spasm of outrage, many on the British right criticized the government’s response as heavy-handed, designed to throttle conservative views.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
Some immigration enforcement actions have been perceived as heavy-handed, sparking protests in various cities.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Men, Women, and Children (2014) Sandler is a revelation in a painfully heavy-handed satire.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
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.
Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Although the riots swiftly died down after the initial spasm of outrage, many on the British right criticized the government’s response as heavy-handed, designed to throttle conservative views.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025
Some immigration enforcement actions have been perceived as heavy-handed, sparking protests in various cities.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Men, Women, and Children (2014) Sandler is a revelation in a painfully heavy-handed satire.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-handed. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share