heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: clumsy
2
: oppressive, harsh
heavy-handedly
adverb
heavy-handedness
noun
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 heavy-handed sentimentality is a welcome, necessary respite.
—
James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Bolsonaro's allies view Moraes' handling of the trial and broader crackdown on disinformation in Brazil as heavy-handed.
—Júlia Dias Carneiro, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Such subtlety may not necessarily be what readers—perhaps American readers, in particular—expect from political fiction, which can have a reputation for being didactic and heavy-handed, designed to beat readers over the head, as if anything political were made in the mode of Soviet realism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Turkey’s response has been a mixture of heavy-handed military campaigns and sporadic, often short-lived, openings to dialogue.
—Alpaslan Ozerdem, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
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James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Bolsonaro's allies view Moraes' handling of the trial and broader crackdown on disinformation in Brazil as heavy-handed.
—Júlia Dias Carneiro, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Such subtlety may not necessarily be what readers—perhaps American readers, in particular—expect from political fiction, which can have a reputation for being didactic and heavy-handed, designed to beat readers over the head, as if anything political were made in the mode of Soviet realism.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
Turkey’s response has been a mixture of heavy-handed military campaigns and sporadic, often short-lived, openings to dialogue.
—Alpaslan Ozerdem, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-handed. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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