heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: clumsy
2
: oppressive, harsh
heavy-handedly
adverb
heavy-handedness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of heavy-handed in a Sentence
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
Recent Examples on the Web
Opponents consider the bill a heavy-handed attempt to stifle media freedom and muzzle civil society, and have staged months of massive street protests to try to block the measure.
—
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Unfortunately, the University of Virginia is not unique in its heavy-handed response to what have been largely peaceful anti-war protests.
—Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 22 May 2024
Dayana talks about being treated like an animal by Elias, and with the donkeys and goat and chickens always around in the motel yard, that metaphor feels heavy-handed.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024
The militants' substantial armaments led to a heavy-handed military response, which included the use of artillery.
—Breana Scheckwitz, Fox News, 22 May 2024
Its heavy-handed response to quell protests probably further fueled their anger.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2024
Yet the busing program is exposing the chasm between the Mexican government’s rhetoric promoting a humanitarian approach to migration, and the country’s role as a heavy-handed enforcer of U.S. border objectives, leaving many migrant families stranded to fend for themselves.
—Paulina Villegas Luis Antonio Rojas, New York Times, 14 May 2024
The heavy-handed responses from Congress, donors and university administrators are concerning but not all that surprising.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 13 May 2024
This is widely viewed as an alternative to heavy-handed discipline and suspensions that can interfere with learning and increase the number of dropouts.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Unfortunately, the University of Virginia is not unique in its heavy-handed response to what have been largely peaceful anti-war protests.
—Nisha Whitehead, Orange County Register, 22 May 2024
Dayana talks about being treated like an animal by Elias, and with the donkeys and goat and chickens always around in the motel yard, that metaphor feels heavy-handed.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 May 2024
The militants' substantial armaments led to a heavy-handed military response, which included the use of artillery.
—Breana Scheckwitz, Fox News, 22 May 2024
Its heavy-handed response to quell protests probably further fueled their anger.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2024
Yet the busing program is exposing the chasm between the Mexican government’s rhetoric promoting a humanitarian approach to migration, and the country’s role as a heavy-handed enforcer of U.S. border objectives, leaving many migrant families stranded to fend for themselves.
—Paulina Villegas Luis Antonio Rojas, New York Times, 14 May 2024
The heavy-handed responses from Congress, donors and university administrators are concerning but not all that surprising.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 13 May 2024
This is widely viewed as an alternative to heavy-handed discipline and suspensions that can interfere with learning and increase the number of dropouts.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heavy-handed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-handed. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
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