ironfisted

adjective

Definition of ironfistednext
as in jackbooted

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironfisted
  1. jackbooted
  2. oppressive
  3. heavy-handed
  4. stern
  5. sledgehammer
  6. ungentle
  7. severe
  8. grim
Adjective
  • Karol let those lines here serve as her brief indictment of the present, jackbooted environment around immigration and repression in the United States.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Hungary under his rule is far from a jackbooted dictatorship, but its democracy is diverging markedly from that of many of its partners in the European Union.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2018
Definition of jackbooted
Adjective
  • Central Connecticut State University President Zulma Toro resigned Wednesday following an investigation into a complaint alleging the workplace culture under her leadership was oppressive, bullying and intimidating.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In its opening episodes, the series carefully distinguishes Lizzie from her male killer counterparts while highlighting the oppressive conditions women faced in the era.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • Snake Killer launched in January, with the four-parter followings a notorious Copenhagen narcotics police unit, Uropatruljen, a heavy-handed force that operated with relative autonomy between 1965 and 2001.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The reference is heavy-handed, but the idea is the right one.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of heavy-handed
Adjective
  • As the Pacific Princess’ Captain Stubing, Gavin MacLeod played the stern yet beloved authority figure better than many might’ve expected, given how closely he’d become associated with comedy by that point.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The new trailer for Paper Tiger transfers this dynamic onto the scene of a rehabilitation project for New York City’s Gowanus Canal, resulting in far graver consequences than a stern talking-to from mom.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • If coffee is a sledgehammer blow to the brain — admittedly sometimes useful — yaupon was more like a gentle neural stroking.
    — Gabriel Popkin, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022
  • And Sundwall said that, in retrospect, state health officials took a sledgehammer approach to mitigating the pandemic, such as school closings in 2020, when the state could have taken a more surgical tack.
    — Bethany Rodgers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Sep. 2021
Definition of sledgehammer
Adjective
  • Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.
    — Kate Knibbs, Wired, 16 Apr. 2020
Definition of ungentle
Adjective
  • Regional forecasts are often concerned with extreme events, such as heavy rainfall, squall lines, severe thunderstorms or hurricanes.
    — Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Measles vaccination rates are low, families are large, and people may not seek care unless the illness becomes severe.
    — STAT, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of severe
Adjective
  • But the new numbers still cast a grim shadow on the Democrats.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But make no mistake, things are grim behind the scenes; this whole situation weighs heavily on both of them.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of grim
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

ironed out
ironfisted
ironhanded
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Cite this Entry

“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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