as in jackbooted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironfisted
Adjective
-
Cooper was obsessed with the New World Order and the actions of jackbooted government enforcers against the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, and white separatist Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.—
Andrew Stuttaford,
WSJ,
19 Sep. 2018 -
Hungary under his rule is far from a jackbooted dictatorship, but its democracy is diverging markedly from that of many of its partners in the European Union.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
Washington Post,
6 Apr. 2018
Adjective
-
Plan Your Trip Charleston, South Carolina The Holy City may be blanketed in humidity in the height of summer, but Charlestonians have figured out all the best ways to deal with the oppressive air.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Yet history provides no shortage of examples of human courage, even under the most oppressive circumstances.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Orlando Sentinel Historically, the heavy-handed lobbying tactics have been effective with both parties.—
Scott Maxwell,
Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Many point out that while his concerns about academics and responsibilities are valid, his approach was heavy-handed and unfair — especially toward the girlfriend.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Fifteen games have passed since, cementing Deepdale as one of the sternest away trips in the English Football League.—
Sam Tighe,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Subplots like his minority investment in the sleazy nightclub The Snakehole Lounge afforded him the opportunity to showcase a stunning variety of little coats, unlike Scott, whose stern and straight-laced state auditor Ben Wyatt seemingly never changes into anything less formal.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
If coffee is a sledgehammer blow to the brain — admittedly sometimes useful — yaupon was more like a gentle neural stroking.—
Gabriel Popkin,
Washington Post,
15 Aug. 2022
-
And Sundwall said that, in retrospect, state health officials took a sledgehammer approach to mitigating the pandemic, such as school closings in 2020, when the state could have taken a more surgical tack.—
Bethany Rodgers,
The Salt Lake Tribune,
27 Sep. 2021
Adjective
-
But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.—
Stephanie Stradley,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Sep. 2020
-
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.—
Kate Knibbs,
Wired,
16 Apr. 2020
Adjective
-
He had been diagnosed with severe conduct disorder and antisocial traits, per 9 News.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The front-seat passenger, a 16-year-old, nearly died after suffering severe injuries, including a shattered pelvis and ruptured internal organs.—
Bill Lukitsch,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
While in jail, Dean bonds with Zoro, a grim and mysterious teenage prisoner serving time for murder.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Americans hold more favorable views of Republicans than Democrats, even as favorability remains grim across the board, according to the latest Economist/YouGov poll.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share