big stick

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.

In his speech, Hegseth emphasised the US's "strong, quiet and clear" approach to the region - its capacity to wield a "big stick" but "speak softly".

From BBC • May 30, 2026

“We don’t go in with the big stick to begin with,” Morling said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024

“I had a big stick, and I was banging on the box, really whaling on it. So he wasn’t just plopped on his feet. Because I wanted him to be alighting down to the ground.”

From New York Times • Jan. 26, 2022

Despite the big stick, keeping the quiet has never been easy.

From Salon • Oct. 9, 2021

I took the big stick out of my backpack—a bedpost I’d broken off Crusty’s Safari Deluxe floor model.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan