1
as in harsh
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heavy-handed
These mandates may seem heavy-handed, but a quantum-capable adversary could topple networks or decrypt vast data troves overnight.
5.
—
Jason Nathaniel Ader, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
His approach infuriated some conservative Catholics, who saw him as a heavy-handed outsider.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
After a rough 2022 midterm cycle, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) altered the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) tactics so the party would take a more heavy-handed approach.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 20 Apr. 2025
The decision — coming about 13 hours after the president's latest tariff hikes went into effect — encouraged investors who had worried that a heavy-handed approach to trade would drive the U.S. into a recession and raise inflation.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Jason Nathaniel Ader, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
His approach infuriated some conservative Catholics, who saw him as a heavy-handed outsider.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
After a rough 2022 midterm cycle, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) altered the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) tactics so the party would take a more heavy-handed approach.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 20 Apr. 2025
The decision — coming about 13 hours after the president's latest tariff hikes went into effect — encouraged investors who had worried that a heavy-handed approach to trade would drive the U.S. into a recession and raise inflation.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy-handed
Adjective
-
So, designing the model's apparent personality to be positive and supportive makes sense—people are less likely to use an AI that comes off as harsh or dismissive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Wash your hair gently, moisturize regularly with scalp-friendly products, and avoid scratching or harsh brushing.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For those things that are bigger, or subject to rough forces like clumsy human hands, through-hole soldering is still required, with leads poked through a connective hole and solder applied to connect and join them securely.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2025
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The rubber sole is also important for clumsy gals like myself.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Oral arguments will be heard in the landmark case on Wednesday, pitting claims of religious freedom against efforts to maintain strict separation of church and state.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2025
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Or the court could decide that strict scrutiny applies but age checks are narrowly tailored.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Bill Belichick’s daughter-in-law seems none too pleased with his girlfriend Jordon Hudson, shading the 24-year-old for her behavior during the Super Bowl winner’s awkward new CBS interview as former Patriots Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski defended Hudson.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2025
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The situation was made more awkward by the lack of support from anyone else at the table.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Singapore, for instance, is highly economically free but sharply socially authoritarian.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
2 May 2025
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To his critics, his centralization of power and ruthless purge of opponents put Malaysia on an authoritarian trajectory.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Jimmie Woods-Gray, a member of the city’s fire commission, said that cutting the Equity Bureau is a necessary step in a tough budget year.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Published in English, Tehelka had a small circulation but an outsized reputation for tough investigations.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Every debt-relief product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of debt-relief products.—
Dana Miranda,
CNBC,
29 Apr. 2025
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This month, a study found that the people who’d participated in a rigorous diet-and-exercise program in the late nineteen-nineties, as Bryant did, were substantially less likely to develop diabetes decades later.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy-handed. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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