ironhanded

adjective

Definition of ironhandednext
as in oppressive

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironhanded
  1. oppressive
  2. severe
  3. tough
  4. rough-and-tumble
  5. ungentle
  6. grim
  7. stern
  8. heavy-handed
Adjective
  • The trope, fair or not, has often overshadowed the fact that science fiction and horror are absolutely perfect bedfellows, with outer space's total isolation, tiny quarters, and oppressive vastness perfectly suited for the horror genre.
    — Matthew Razak, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • Crews are working nonstop to meet Mayor Karen Bass’ mid-August deadline to clear out 85 million pounds of food that continues to rot in oppressive heat.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • Representatives for larger agricultural interests say the state’s cost predictions for producers are severe underestimates.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Cities like New York and Madrid faced severe air quality issues.
    — Miriam Waldvogel, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of severe
Adjective
  • The city's local Democratic lawmakers claim that the tough-on-crime policies only temporarily reduced crime while troop presence was at its peak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Lopez and multiple bullpen arms got out of tough jams to limit the Red Sox 16 baserunners across the first nine innings to just two runs, only one earned.
    — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
    — Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Definition of rough-and-tumble
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
  • Judging from this album, a lot of grim topics have taken up residence there.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Wasp was a welcome breath of fresh Marvel air after the grim finale of Infinity War, but that’s not enough to justify its entry into the top 20.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • Most include a warning of no refunds and a stern caution to know the limits of one’s own taste buds—something too many poor souls choose to ignore.
    — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • There’s also hints of vulnerability and genuine tenderness in her stern headmistress of the bedroom, which Wilde slips in just slyly enough to let the presence of a heart peek through all the brainy brashness and hormone overload.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Not heavy-handed, but just really getting into the weeds of things, hence the footnotes.
    — Jan Camenzind Broomby, NPR, 29 July 2026
  • But The Devil’s Mouth is also a layered, and sometimes heavy-handed, metaphor about the importance of not letting someone make choices for you.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of heavy-handed
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

ironfisted
ironhanded
ironhearted
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Cite this Entry

“Ironhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironhanded. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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