1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
the manager displayed a high-handed demeanor that increasingly demoralized the members of his staff
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arbitrary
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
that country club tends to be rather high-handed about whom they let in and whom they shut out
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of high-handed
But his high-handed, arbitrary seizure of power may have permanently scarred the system of careful checks and balances meant to keep government at all levels accountable to the people.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
The sociopolitical implications of his story—desperate poverty, harassment by the police, along with exploitation by the boxing business and its high-handed authorities—are balanced by his earnest self-analyses and the detailing of his home life.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
Edward took a story that on paper could be very procedural and high-handed and made something that has this propulsive, edge-of-your-seat, wildly cinematic energy.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 7 May 2024
Even if Beijing were to resume regular REE sales, alternative sources would remove Beijing’s temptation to high-handed policies.
—Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
With his penchant for high-handed letter writing, Gittins escalated things to the inevitable level.
—Max Olesker, Longreads, 13 July 2023
Georgian society, however, has shown increasing signs of fatigue with the former government’s high-handed policies.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2012
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
The sociopolitical implications of his story—desperate poverty, harassment by the police, along with exploitation by the boxing business and its high-handed authorities—are balanced by his earnest self-analyses and the detailing of his home life.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
Edward took a story that on paper could be very procedural and high-handed and made something that has this propulsive, edge-of-your-seat, wildly cinematic energy.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 7 May 2024
Even if Beijing were to resume regular REE sales, alternative sources would remove Beijing’s temptation to high-handed policies.
—Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
With his penchant for high-handed letter writing, Gittins escalated things to the inevitable level.
—Max Olesker, Longreads, 13 July 2023
Georgian society, however, has shown increasing signs of fatigue with the former government’s high-handed policies.
—Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-handed
Adjective
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Commissioner Cristina Eveillard later said the sheriff was arrogant.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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The lies begin as soon as Max encounters Guillermo, an arrogant nepo baby who blamed him for Ane’s death but now pretends to accept his apology.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The arbitrary nature of torture places the text in the long genealogy of the captivity narrative; if there is a degree of the adventure yarn in the tale, than there is also something of an Arthur Koestler or an Alexander Solzhenitsyn as well.—
Ed Simon
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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The impact of Elon Musk’s arbitrary DOGE cuts is palpable.—
D. Scott Schmid,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“High-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-handed. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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