as in jackbooted
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironfisted
Adjective
-
Cooper was obsessed with the New World Order and the actions of jackbooted government enforcers against the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, and white separatist Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.—
Andrew Stuttaford,
WSJ,
19 Sep. 2018 -
Likethumb_up Replyreply Linklink Copy Reportflag eraley 22 minutes ago Trump’s America and his jackbooted thugs.—
Marwa Eltagouri,
Washington Post,
28 May 2018
Adjective
-
Perhaps in Iran, which has been engulfed by mass protests, leading the president to threaten action against an oppressive regime that has bedeviled the United States for nearly half a century.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Inside, there’s a plush bed, a cushioned chair, and an open wardrobe stocked with robes—essential for cooling down during the oppressive afternoon heat between game drives.—
Nicholas DeRenzo,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Silence and anxiety grip the capital Caracas, caused by the shock of the January 3 attack and the fear of the government’s heavy-handed response.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Across the region, heavy-handed American tactics will risk spurring backlash and unintended consequences.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Several French and Italian citizens were among the dead, and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for stern punishment to be meted out to those responsible for the blaze.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Continue reading … FLIP-FLOP – Reporter claims Harris privately joked about question before stern response.—
,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
-
But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.—
Stephanie Stradley,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Sep. 2020
-
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
Adjective
-
Most people who get sick recover within a week, but infections can be severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Those who suffer spinal strokes often experience sudden and intense neck or back pain, muscle weakness, and in severe cases, paralysis.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the newest numbers were still a grim confirmation that there are few options for dealing with these materials.—
Susanne Rust,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
-
These factors are compounded by the grim shape of downtown’s streets and sidewalks, continuing struggles with homelessness, the fraying DART partnership and an alarming commercial vacancy rate.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
