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
The Kenya Human Rights Commission issued a statement condemning the response by police, who have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics during these protests, including live rounds on crowds, beatings and even abductions.
—
Emmanuel Igunza, NPR, 26 June 2024
President Biden’s political opponents will attempt to portray the regulations as a heavy-handed mandate for electric vehicles that tramples on the rights of auto consumers, but that kind of argument will be a tough sell.
—Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 23 June 2024
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
The few heavy-handed moments are mostly due to the narration.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed 
Emmanuel Igunza, NPR, 26 June 2024
President Biden’s political opponents will attempt to portray the regulations as a heavy-handed mandate for electric vehicles that tramples on the rights of auto consumers, but that kind of argument will be a tough sell.
—Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 23 June 2024
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
The few heavy-handed moments are mostly due to the narration.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed
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 7 Jul. 2024.
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