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
- heavy-handedly adverb
- heavy-handedness noun
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.
Scientist Alexandra, 32, refuses to download Max "out of contrariness" to its heavy-handed promotion.
From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026
And for all its heavy-handed writing and mystifying character flourishes, “Tow” manages to be mostly an effective, if silly, story of perseverance, thanks almost entirely to Byrne’s dogged performance.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026
A precedent from early-20th-century Britain augurs ill for the heavy-handed U.S. approach.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said school leaders "need support from government, not the threat of heavy-handed inspection".
From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026
The picture is not unlike Egypt today, where the government in Cairo keeps power by a combination of tactics, including management of local religious authorities that swerves between heavy-handed intimidation and cynical appeasement.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
