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hardhanded

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce hardhanded (audio)
Definition of hardhandednext
as in tough
difficult to endure the hardhanded rule of a tyrannical regime

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardhanded
  1. tough
  2. harsh
  3. hard
  4. rough
  5. oppressive
  6. trying
  7. brutal
  8. severe
Adjective
  • Because of the heat wave's dramatic effect on everyday life, Paris became a tough place to walk around in the sunshine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But Chipotle has been in a tough spot since Niccol departed in 2024, and even as Boatwright’s plan shows signs of momentum (same-store sales have begun to tick back up again), there are open questions about Chipotle’s strategic direction.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The video, and Ovechkin’s subsequent statements, have sparked harsh criticism in Europe, the United States and Canada, which is part of the NHL.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Beyond biological and nuclear threats, AI companies face harsh organizational incentives to develop AI even faster and — experts say — more recklessly.
    — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Their furrows reminded me of Rembrandt’s paintings of old men, brows carved deep by hard use and long years.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Since then, his settings have become harder to locate in the contemporary world.
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • In 2024, Swift joined the Bears as a free agent whose production didn’t match the contract in a rough year overall for the offense.
    — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • After a rough preseason that included missing a block that got Dart crushed and fumbling, Tracy could next lose his spot on the gameday active roster — if not his job entirely — with Najee Harris waiting to step in.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • There’s always another internet grift for someone looking to save himself fast, and without any gimmicky visual intrusions, the film feels authentically tuned into the aspirational mentality and oppressive reality of contemporary social media.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Amid an oppressive stretch of extreme heat and Florida-esque humidity that has been punishing much of California, consider, for a moment, the Ice Age.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • Either way, a spot in the round of 32 would be a just reward for a team that is unbeaten two games into what has been an extremely trying tournament off the field.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
  • More than half of the search-and-rescue workers who show up for the most trying missions are BUSARs.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of trying
Adjective
  • Horror films and increasingly brutal crime stories reveal the very large market for the subject.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • McKinley stages a few bullet-sweating sequences of peril, including a particularly brutal transport of gold bars across a crumbling rope bridge and an underwater accident exacerbated by floating logs.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • This appointment arrives as Nike navigates deep operational restructuring and severe market headwinds.
    — , CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Six decades earlier, on the same grounds, a young Muhammad Ali absorbed a famous left hook from Henry Cooper late in the fourth round, then finished the fight in the fifth when the referee stopped it because of a severe cut over Cooper’s eye.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of severe
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hard goods
hardhanded
hardhandedness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hardhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardhanded. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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