1
as in harsh
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clumsy
lacking or showing a lack of nimbleness in using one's hands
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
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Recent Examples of heavy-handed
Worse still, Lena’s brief courtship with Abram, whose death Perry telegraphs in an insultingly heavy-handed way, makes so little impact because, again, the characters and their relationship never rise above the archetypal.
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Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
Briskly paced, de Jonge’s movie covers a lot of ground both tonal and geographic without ever seeming hurried, conspicuously touristic or heavy-handed in its mix of humor and pathos.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
Republicans in general—especially President-elect Donald Trump—tend to be much less heavy-handed than Democrats, so the Biden administration is quickly moving several of its Big Tech consumer watchdog and antitrust investigations forward.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
The uprising began with peaceful demonstrations against employment quotas for regime loyalists, but a heavy-handed crackdown ignited a powderkeg of rage against inequality and political repression that brought tens of thousands of mothers and daughters, bankers and beggars, united onto the street.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed 
Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
Briskly paced, de Jonge’s movie covers a lot of ground both tonal and geographic without ever seeming hurried, conspicuously touristic or heavy-handed in its mix of humor and pathos.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
Republicans in general—especially President-elect Donald Trump—tend to be much less heavy-handed than Democrats, so the Biden administration is quickly moving several of its Big Tech consumer watchdog and antitrust investigations forward.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024
The uprising began with peaceful demonstrations against employment quotas for regime loyalists, but a heavy-handed crackdown ignited a powderkeg of rage against inequality and political repression that brought tens of thousands of mothers and daughters, bankers and beggars, united onto the street.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy-handed
Adjective
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The corps’ push for additional benefits coincided with a harsh realization for the British Army: For white men, service in the West Indies was viewed as a death sentence due to the high risk of disease.Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
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With his latest project, he’s found a balance between the harsher realities of the real world, and his own playful spirit.Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Never mind the clumsy wording — taxes on U.S. citizens working abroad aren’t excessive so much as excessively complicated — this is one campaign promise that may actually be fulfilled, given the Republican control of both houses of Congress.Tyler Cowen, Sun Sentinel, 28 Nov. 2024
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Walker believed traditional bass and treble controls were a clumsy way of tweaking tonal balance.Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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One example of such concessions that China can make would be promising stricter oversight on fentanyl trades, Scissors added.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
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Either way, stricter regulations likely won’t be in place to impact this winter season, and despite the unease expressed by locals, mass tourism to Rovaniemi is probably only going to grow in 2025 — as visitors want to experience the unique atmosphere up north, especially during the holiday season.CNN, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Read More: The Surprising Benefits of Talking Out Loud to Yourself Things might feel a little awkward during those early sessions, and that's normal, says Grant.Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
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Fentanyl abuse isn't the only opioid that can cause the awkward body reaction, Ciccarone said.James Ward, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Parents raised in authoritarian or neglectful households may struggle to break away from ingrained beliefs about discipline and respect.Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 2 Dec. 2024
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International rights groups have used Biden’s trip to criticize the Lourenço government’s authoritarian shift.Gerald Imray, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The clients’ storefronts are positioned to succeed in a sometimes tough marketplace by focusing on exclusivity and quality.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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In a time when people approach political, social and economic issues with a different set of information and fake news is rampant, the best way to do that is to approach tough conversations with stories rather than facts.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The finding that Israel has perpetrated genocide is a conclusion based on painstaking research and rigorous legal analysis.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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The legal profession has long been recognized for its rigorous standards and competitive environment.Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Eldest children may create stern rules for their kids, such as a chore chart and strict bedtime routines.Alex Vance, Parents, 9 Dec. 2024
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The speaker of the National Assembly read a stern statement on camera demanding that the president hold off a visit to the National Assembly until security matters are ironed out.Joohee Cho, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heavy-handed. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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