long arm
Americannoun
noun
-
power, esp far-reaching power
the long arm of the law
-
to reach out for something, as from a sitting position
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.
But even here, the long arm of the crisis is visible, with the TV reception periodically freezing, triggering loud groans from supporters clad in the yellow Brazilian jerseys of stars Vinicius Junior, Neymar and others.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Among the more classic dissidents is Badiucao, a Melbourne-based artist with firsthand experience of how far the long arm of the Party can extend.
From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026
The nation’s multilayered historical background has been variously stamped by a basic Arabic heritage, ineradicable remnants of protracted Ottoman Turkish rule and the long arm of the British colonial empire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
“The trial demonstrates that no matter what, the long arm of justice can always catch the perpetrator,” Ceesay told The Associated Press.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2024
So Arm lay on his stomach and stretched his long arm toward the little bag.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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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.