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Synonyms

iron fist

American  
[ahy-ern fist] / ˈaɪ ərn ˈfɪst /

noun

iron fists plural
  1. authority or power wielded in a cruel, dictatorial, or repressive way.

    The lecture described the torments that befell many artists under the iron fist of Stalin.

    This tyrant ruled the country with an iron fist until he was finally deposed and executed.


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Example Sentences

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He has long favored dialogue over an iron fist security approach.

From Barron's Jun. 21, 2026

Both Keiko Fujimori and another of the front runners in the opinion polls, Rafael López Aliaga, have promised to use an "iron fist" to tackle the crime wave the country is experiencing.

From BBC Apr. 13, 2026

“Iran brought down the iron fist with speed and ferocity we haven’t seen before,” said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 17, 2026

When the authoritarian leader starts to display physical impairment, the people who have been chafing under his iron fist stop fearing him.

From Salon Nov. 19, 2025

He’s been running it with an iron fist ever since.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

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