heavy-handed
Americanadjective
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oppressive; harsh.
a heavy-handed master.
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clumsy; graceless.
a heavy-handed treatment of the theme.
adjective
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clumsy
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harsh and oppressive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heavy-handed
First recorded in 1625–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As Wasow and other researchers have found, a heavy-handed police response—like the kind that happened during the Civil Rights Movement and has already happened in France—can engender public sympathy.
From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2026
Opposition leaders and journalists accused police of heavy-handed tactics during weekend demonstrations, as authorities locked down New Delhi on Monday ahead of a fresh rally against the election chief.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Such an opening tends toward the obvious, the ponderous, the heavy-handed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Other prosecutions have been perceived as heavy-handed and unjust.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
There was no way I could get heavy-handed and demand that an English person send me money, even if he owed it to me personally.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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