ironfisted
Americanadjective
-
ruthless, harsh, and tyrannical.
an ironfisted dictator.
-
stingy; tight-fisted.
Etymology
Origin of ironfisted
First recorded in 1850–55; iron + fist 1 ( def. ) + -ed 3 ( def. )
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.
Cassandra, the de-facto leader of the teens, is tenuously ironfisted.
From The New Yorker ● May 22, 2019
Leonard Nimoy did it with a memorable turn as a goateed, ironfisted Mr. Spock in an original "Star Trek" episode that sent the Enterprise crew into a more bloodthirsty parallel universe.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2013
Botha relied on the threat of military power and ironfisted retaliation, but De Klerk stands for law.
From Time Magazine Archive
The treaty would transfer so many powers -- over taxes, natural resources, even the state security apparatus -- to the republics as to make restoring ironfisted Kremlin control of the whole country impossible.
From Time Magazine Archive
In New Mexico, a state with a weak Governor system, he has already earned a reputation as an ironfisted leader.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
