HARD-HANDED Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

hardhanded

adjective

ˈhärd-ˈhan-dəd

Definition of hardhanded

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

Adjective

White, when give the chance, has displayed a diverse offensive game, a defensive bent and an ability to make tough shots.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
The stakes for new avatar don’t feel quite as high—the specific circumstances around the former was a perfect storm that'll be tough to duplicate—but the music isn’t any less potent for it.

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The couple made sure the design included a basement where the kids could spend time, better insulation to handle South Dakota’s harsh weather and plenty of storage — all features their previous home lacked.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Those are some of the harsh conditions that detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody described experiencing in recent weeks at the Federal Detention Center, a Bureau of Prisons facility located in a concrete tower in downtown Miami.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Essentially a rock has met a hard place – at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Remember, all this hard work to discover all these things has been done in the midst of designing a ballroom, cleaning up the reflecting pool and a host of other busy things the president and his administration have been doing.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of hard

Adjective

Today's launch aims to smooth over a few rough patches that the vehicle ran into during V3's debut on the mostly successful Flight 12, which occurred on May 22.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 July 2026
That comes after a rough day of trading as shares fell below their IPO price.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Definition of rough

Adjective

Underneath a sky of wildfire smoke and haze, the teams played through four hydration breaks, injury stoppages, oppressive summer heat and a patchy pitch.

— Meg Linehan, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Tenet is a collection of Nolan’s most frustrating habits cranked to 11 — from an oppressive soundscape that eclipses dialogue, to stylish yet flat characters, to a narrative that’s confusingly twisty to the point of contortion.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 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

But for one more summer, there’s Wednesday night hockey in the suburbs, the tickets are cheap, the autographs are free, and the arena is air conditioned in the midst of a brutal heat wave.

— Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 17 July 2026
Shop Cooling Summer Dresses at REI This summer has proven to be particularly brutal, with heat waves engulfing a massive portion of the country.

— Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Definition of brutal

Adjective

The severe physical limitations of those procedures required extensive medical care, leading her L7 bandmates to share a GoFundMe to cover Finch’s medical expenses and at-home care.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
Diagnosed with Alzheimer's, severe dementia with agitation, depression, and anxiety, the woman was confused, had difficulty communicating her needs, and hit aides.

— Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 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

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“Hardhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardhanded. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hardhanded

adjective

Example Sentences

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