as in tough
difficult to endure
the hardhanded rule of a tyrannical regime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardhanded
Adjective
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The judge assigned to Amin’s case was Iman Afshari, known in Tehran for his tough sentences—a reputation that led the European Union to place him on a blacklist, in January, for human-rights abuses.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026 -
Two sisters in Big Bear are facing one of the toughest moments in their lives.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His team, which includes his advisor Atsushi Shirane and Masaya Miyahara of Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), is aiming to develop a wireless system for controlling robots in this harsh environment.—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Items that are wind-resistant and waterproof will be good for use in many harsh weather conditions in which the user would need protection.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Saturn in your companionable 7th house is encouraging Pluto in your playful 5th house, so the energy of these cosmic powerhouses should be a little less hard to handle and a lot more fun!—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2026
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Jamaica born About a hundred people gathered to lay Wilson to rest, singing, crying and laughing while remembering his kind heart, his hard work and his famous barbecue ribs and chicken wings.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Heat has also now allowed more than 120 points in eight of the 10 games during this rough 2-8 stretch.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Italian coast guard operated in the Libyan search and rescue area amid rough weather conditions, a spokesman said on Wednesday.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The music was sufficiently groovy, the costumes era-appropriate (miniskirts, Travolta-tight slacks), yet nothing conjured the tension of an oppressive August day—and nobody broke a sweat.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
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Many observers, including Iranians in the diaspora, hoped for the collapse of the oppressive Islamic Republic of Iran and a decisive end to its nuclear program and military reach.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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More than half of the search-and-rescue workers who show up for the most trying missions are BUSARs.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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And Modi and Xi have had a more trying relationship than either has had with Putin.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Still, the timeline for elimination came as news to guard Josh Giddey in the locker room after Wednesday’s brutal 157-137 blowout loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Iran’s brutal regime retains a solid grip in Tehran, in Iraq through proxies, and in Lebanese society through Hezbollah.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Days after she was struck in the head with a metal bottle, Khimberly was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered severe bleeding in her brain.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Peak said mold illness, which includes chronic conditions related to the toxins and bacterium found in mold, is more widespread than mold poisoning, where people might experience severe reactions like blindness.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hardhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardhanded. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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