1
as in harsh
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heavy-handed
Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, is known for advocating market-friendly policies and opposing heavy-handed regulation.
—
Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
Before the Gaza war, Israel already faced widespread criticism over its heavy-handed occupation of Palestinians.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
Former light heavyweight kickboxing world champion Almeida faced heavy-handed knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan, and had to battle through adversity after being dropped mid-way through the opening round of their middleweight contest at the UFC APEX.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025
Palestinian citizens’ rights For Palestinian citizens of Israel, the heavy-handed police stifling of dissent is nothing new.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed 
Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
Before the Gaza war, Israel already faced widespread criticism over its heavy-handed occupation of Palestinians.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
Former light heavyweight kickboxing world champion Almeida faced heavy-handed knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan, and had to battle through adversity after being dropped mid-way through the opening round of their middleweight contest at the UFC APEX.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025
Palestinian citizens’ rights For Palestinian citizens of Israel, the heavy-handed police stifling of dissent is nothing new.
—Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy-handed
Adjective
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That question is particularly pointed in the case of the U. of C. Will its promotion of freedom of expression and inquiry prove in the end to have been a marketing strategy that can be discarded in the face of harsh political realities?—
Jamie Kalven,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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But the evening maintained a spirited vibe even with the harsh realities of upended lives as part of the backdrop.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA TODAY,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Relentless, hi-def gore is The Monkey’s greatest achievement, but all the blood-spatter in the world couldn’t redeem its clumsy plotting, frat-boy humor, and feigned memento mori.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
7 Feb. 2025
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Game to game, characters like the speedy Pete Wheeler or clumsy Angela Delvecchio were true to their traits across each release.—
Jake Lang,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The mission also comes at a time of dwindling confidence among British businesses, which are facing higher taxes and stricter employment rules under the new Labour government.—
Samantha Conti,
WWD,
5 Feb. 2025
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The emails also raise serious legal and ethical concerns, especially given the NFL's strict policies regarding conduct detrimental to the league.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There were a couple of awkward moments, including one over breakfast at the training ground.—
Stuart James,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
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What started out as something Howie Mandel thought would be a funny bit for his Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast last month quickly devolved into a super-tense, awkward moment the America’s Got Talent host is now expressing regret for.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Serbia’s authoritarian leader should be riding high, lifted by economic growth that is four times the European average, falling unemployment and steadily rising wages.—
Andrew Higgins,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2025
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Trump’s decision will force many civil-society organizations in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and other Latin American authoritarian countries to shut down or drastically reduce their operations, leaders of some of these groups told me.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But fortunately for the Jayhawks, this game is at Allen Fieldhouse — a tough place for away teams to come and win games.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2025
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That included a couple of tough inside baskets while drawing fouls.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In today's digital age, companies are entrusted with vast amounts of personal data, and breaches like this demonstrate the need for rigorous security measures.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
4 Feb. 2025
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Every credit card story is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit products.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Sterling was all smiles for the photo, but the same couldn’t be said for Bronze, who gave the camera a stern look.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
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As Kirsten Cohen’s stern taskmaster of a father, Alan Dale was only supposed to have a brief appearance on The O.C.—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
EW.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy-handed. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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