under the heel of (someone)
idiom
: completely controlled by (another person, group, etc.)
They are under the heel of a tyrant.
Examples of under the heel of (someone) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Crush of mint under the heel of a little girl
enjoying her small but definite powers.
—
Elisa Gonzalez, Harper's Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023
This willful ignorance stems from our long-standing refusal to see the violent overthrow of Reconstruction governments, the systematic murdering of Black voters, and the century-long terror that kept an entire people under the heel of white tyranny as America’s own history of white dictatorship.
—Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Elisa Gonzalez, Harper's Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023
This willful ignorance stems from our long-standing refusal to see the violent overthrow of Reconstruction governments, the systematic murdering of Black voters, and the century-long terror that kept an entire people under the heel of white tyranny as America’s own history of white dictatorship.
—Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near under the heel of (someone)
Cite this Entry
“Under the heel of (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20the%20heel%20of%20%28someone%29. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share