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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Examples of heavy-handed in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Its military onslaught on Gaza was as heavy-handed and shortsighted as the American campaign in Vietnam nearly 60 years ago.
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Ari Shavit, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2024
Walker addresses this specifically in a few places in the story, but never in a heavy-handed way.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Opponents argued that heavy-handed regulation would strangle the development of AI, and force AI companies to leave the state.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024
The more heavy-handed opening and closing entries, however, work neither as exercises in complex storytelling nor as period mysteries.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed 
Ari Shavit, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2024
Walker addresses this specifically in a few places in the story, but never in a heavy-handed way.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Opponents argued that heavy-handed regulation would strangle the development of AI, and force AI companies to leave the state.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024
The more heavy-handed opening and closing entries, however, work neither as exercises in complex storytelling nor as period mysteries.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heavy-handed
Adjective
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There are also more-than-adequate storage spaces in the large center console annd all four doors. CHANGE: The ride quality The ride quality is a little harsher in the Sorento than in some of its competitors, especially with the 20-inch wheels and lower profile tires the tester came equipped with.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Trump’s comments on Taiwan have been unusually harsh for China policy in Washington, where there is a general bipartisan consensus to be tough on Beijing and Xi, who has pledged to reunify with Taipei, by force if necessary.Brad Dress, The Hill, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Where Huang’s wardrobe for Oz emphasizes his position as a clumsy social climber, aspiring to classic mafia masculinity but too crass to fit in with the old-money elite, Sofia represents a different kind of outsider.Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
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Jessica Carter Altman always thought of herself as clumsy.Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Anywhere inside those boundaries is a strict no-photo zone.Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
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Missouri and South Dakota’s laws are the strictest, banning nearly all abortions.Randi Richardson, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Jennings read the clue with a slightly awkward tone, then immediately apologized to Heather after it was answered.Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Krieps, playing Jill possessed by Elizabeth, gets slighter colder, more rigid, and more awkward.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In our age of brutal wars, authoritarian politics, cultures of contempt, and technology that promises to replace us with machines, what is left of the idea of the human being?George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
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Autocratic The autocratic style is also known as authoritarian leadership.Jason Miller, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The course reversal with the closure of the Los Angeles office followed a review of the Sister board that examined the tough market conditions that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, double Hollywood strikes and the ongoing industry contraction.Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
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The intrigue: In a sign of the tough work that delegates, nonprofit organizations and others have ahead of them in Cali and beyond, CTrees found that an average of 26,641 square miles of tropical forest are being degraded per year.Andrew Freedman, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Delays or budget overruns can erode profitability, so maintaining rigorous oversight and having contingency plans in place are both essential to navigating the complexities of large-scale developments.Meyer Orbach, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Ives received rigorous training, first from his father, the ace bandmaster George Ives, and then from Horatio Parker at Yale.Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This week, Netanyahu’s defense and internal security ministers received an unusually stern letter from the U.S. government threatening to review military assistance if the Israeli government continued to block essential aid from entering the Gaza Strip.David Hodari, NBC News, 18 Oct. 2024
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The stern letter from the secretary of state and the Pentagon comes amid the worst month for relief efforts since the war began.Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 15 Oct. 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 17 Nov. 2024.
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