How to Use heavy-handed in a Sentence

heavy-handed

adjective
Definition of heavy-handednext
Synonyms for heavy-handednext
  • This show had to find a tonal balance and say something, but do so in a way that doesn’t feel heavy-handed.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 June 2023
  • One: Grab a bucket and fill it with water and 1/4 cup or a few squirts of dish soap (don’t be heavy-handed).
    — Angela Belt, House Beautiful, 8 Mar. 2023
  • This is a heavy-handed use of a law originally written for the Mafia.
    — The Editors, National Review, 16 Aug. 2023
  • In yet another heavy-handed move, the hunters even turn up with torches toward the end.
    — Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
  • The few heavy-handed moments are mostly due to the narration.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
  • For the Eagles to get such a heavy-handed win, and for both teams to clam up as to what happened, only added more intrigue to the story.
    — Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023
  • Rights groups have accused police in France of responding to the wave of protests with heavy-handed tactics.
    — Morgan Coates, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023
  • Those charges have prompted criticism from some that the state is being heavy-handed.
    — Jeff Martin and Jeff Amy, ajc, 7 Mar. 2023
  • The protests resulted in scores of civilian deaths amid a heavy-handed response from Kenyan police.
    — Larry Madowo, CNN, 12 July 2024
  • Some protests in recent weeks have turned violent and have been met by a heavy-handed police response.
    — Aurelien Breeden, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Apr. 2023
  • De Moraes has been criticized for his heavy-handed tactics.
    — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024
  • Within hours, one of the first accounts that posted it was suspended — a response so rare and heavy-handed that some users took it as a sign the leaks must be real.
    — Will Oremus, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
  • This might get tiresome — a heavy-handed dose of reflexive self-loathing — except the curators don’t follow through on the idea.
    — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2024
  • The heavy-handed attempt to force Biden to quit the race after his disastrous debate has, predictably, backfired.
    — Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 12 July 2024
  • Sometimes, weighty implication can feel more heavy-handed than just stating the thing straight out.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2023
  • But Purdue University board of trustees chair Michael Berghoff said the bill wouldn't change much, expressing doubt that the board would take a heavy-handed approach.
    — Ethan Sandweiss, NPR, 22 Mar. 2024
  • The move, which drew condemnation across the region, sent a message in line with Mr. Noboa’s heavy-handed approach to violence and graft.
    — Genevieve Glatsky, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
  • Having his fingerprints all over the offense raised the specter Napier’s hold was too heavy-handed when the Gators struggled to a 6-7 finish capped by a three-game losing streak.
    — Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2023
  • 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
  • He’s also well liked for being a straight shooter in making deals and for his ability to guide talent in a manner that’s not heavy-handed.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 22 Feb. 2023
  • The heavy-handed cinnamon and syrup added some oomph, leaving us wanting a little ice cream on the side, but this bread pudding was great nonetheless.
    — Emma Balter, Chron, 7 Mar. 2023
  • For now, the hacker team is just happy to be able to give their talk without the heavy-handed censorship that the MBTA attempted with its lawsuit 15 years ago.
    — WIRED, 10 Aug. 2023
  • There were shoot-outs and arrests, followed quickly by reports of heavy-handed treatment of suspects and, in some cases, of torture.
    — Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024
  • But what the show doesn’t do is spend time with heavy-handed explanations about the cultural nuances of identity.
    — Brahmjot Kaur, NBC News, 12 May 2023
  • The group’s lack of transparency and accusations of heavy-handed tactics rubbed many politicians and residents the wrong way.
    — Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024
  • But after police killed Daunte Wright, Walz was criticized for being too heavy-handed.
    — Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 19 Sep. 2024
  • Colonel el-Qaddafi’s government responded with even more heavy-handed repression against the city and its people, Mr. Wehrey said.
    — Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2023
  • But the spinoff’s approach lands as both too heavy-handed to ignore and too superficial to take seriously.
    — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 May 2023
  • During their time there, increasingly heavy-handed tactics were used to dislodge activists from the protest camp.
    — David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2024
  • Opponents argued that heavy-handed regulation would strangle the development of AI, and force AI companies to leave the state.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024

Some of 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.

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