How to Use heavy-handed in a Sentence
heavy-handed
adjective-
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
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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
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This is a heavy-handed use of a law originally written for the Mafia.
—The Editors, National Review, 16 Aug. 2023
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In yet another heavy-handed move, the hunters even turn up with torches toward the end.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
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The few heavy-handed moments are mostly due to the narration.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
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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
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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
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Those charges have prompted criticism from some that the state is being heavy-handed.
—Jeff Martin and Jeff Amy, ajc, 7 Mar. 2023
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The protests resulted in scores of civilian deaths amid a heavy-handed response from Kenyan police.
—Larry Madowo, CNN, 12 July 2024
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Now Page steps into the firing line against the heavy-handed Magomedov as the betting underdog.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
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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
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De Moraes has been criticized for his heavy-handed tactics.
—Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 4 Sep. 2024
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Two police units known for their heavy-handed tactics were disbanded after the DOJ launched its probe.
—Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 7 Dec. 2024
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His second victory has revived fears that Trump would seize MPD, then order it to be heavy-handed on city streets.
—Cuneyt Dil, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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Sometimes, weighty implication can feel more heavy-handed than just stating the thing straight out.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2023
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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
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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
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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
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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
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But this heavy-handed assault on direct democracy is not the answer.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2025
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Walker addresses this specifically in a few places in the story, but never in a heavy-handed way.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
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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
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This reflects uncertainty in the broader economy and the impact of Trump's heavy-handed policies.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
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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