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
In a rare on-air rebuke April 27, longtime correspondent for the CBS newsmagazine Scott Pelley said the broadcaster's parent company Paramount had become heavy-handed in its oversight.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Liverpool didn’t win, but their fans were stitched up by typical heavy-handed French policing of English football fans.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But like other heavy-handed campaigns of the past, such tactics are unlikely to be effective given the cartels’ diffuse operations, fentanyl’s low cost and ease of transport, and the insatiable U.S. market for cheap opioids.
—Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2025
India has used heavy-handed tactics to maintain its control over the region, including giving the armed forces widespread powers to arrest, torture and summarily execute suspects, human rights groups say.
—Aijaz Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
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Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Liverpool didn’t win, but their fans were stitched up by typical heavy-handed French policing of English football fans.
—Andy Mitten, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
But like other heavy-handed campaigns of the past, such tactics are unlikely to be effective given the cartels’ diffuse operations, fentanyl’s low cost and ease of transport, and the insatiable U.S. market for cheap opioids.
—Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2025
India has used heavy-handed tactics to maintain its control over the region, including giving the armed forces widespread powers to arrest, torture and summarily execute suspects, human rights groups say.
—Aijaz Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
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