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.
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
As mayor he was criticised by rights groups of 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. 2, 2026
Their operations often see groups of masked and armed officers making heavy-handed arrests at bus stops, shops and other areas where migrants are known to gather.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 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
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.
