heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: showing a lack of skill : clumsy
The effect achieved is so subtle that, in contrast, much twentieth-century paintwork seems crude and heavy-handed.—
Elizabeth Lambert
Elizabeth Lambert2
: oppressive, harsh
a heavy-handed approach to crime
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
Instead, voters have increasingly turned to candidates promising heavy-handed security crackdowns.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice chairman and global head of science and natural history, told ARTnews that lower-quality examples often suffer from distortions, poor fossilization, or heavy-handed restoration.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
This heavy-handed power grab will also jeopardize career opportunities for college graduates by establishing excessively rigorous and expensive standards.
—Doug McCauley, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Alycia Castillo, the associate director of policy and advocacy for the Texas Civil Rights Project, a nonprofit based in Austin, said that several groups had already raised concerns about heavy-handed police tactics in schools.
—Clare Amari, New York Times, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
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Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice chairman and global head of science and natural history, told ARTnews that lower-quality examples often suffer from distortions, poor fossilization, or heavy-handed restoration.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 May 2026
This heavy-handed power grab will also jeopardize career opportunities for college graduates by establishing excessively rigorous and expensive standards.
—Doug McCauley, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Alycia Castillo, the associate director of policy and advocacy for the Texas Civil Rights Project, a nonprofit based in Austin, said that several groups had already raised concerns about heavy-handed police tactics in schools.
—Clare Amari, New York Times, 27 May 2026
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 5 Jun. 2026.
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