heavy-handed
Americanadjective
-
oppressive; harsh.
a heavy-handed master.
-
clumsy; graceless.
a heavy-handed treatment of the theme.
adjective
-
clumsy
-
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.
It all can feel a little heavy-handed, but extremity does suit the story.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 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
AFP asked Adam Fisk, head of US-based nonprofit Lantern, which offers an advanced VPN, how his technology and similar apps can get around such heavy-handed blocking.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
As mayor he was criticised by rights groups for using the police against street vendors in a heavy-handed manner, as he worked to keep roads clear in the capital and crack down on unlicensed businesses.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 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.
