heavy-handed
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.
An exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum distracts from its charming objects with a a heavy-handed curatorial message.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
According to French media, he told his "entourage" recently that "I may have been heavy-handed… but I always took no for an answer".
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
But the heavy-handed use of “our,” “we” and “all” sends the message that, if you don’t agree with Rollins, you don’t fully count as a person, much less as a valued employee at USDA.
From Salon ● May 25, 2026
It notably restricts ICE at 26 Federal Plaza, where masked agents have routinely detained people attending immigration hearings, sometimes using heavy-handed tactics.
From Barron's ● May 19, 2026
The picture is not unlike Egypt today, where the government in Cairo keeps power by a combination of tactics, including management of local religious authorities that swerves between heavy-handed intimidation and cynical appeasement.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
