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.

On emissions, Linh said she believes “incentives and innovation will always outperform heavy-handed mandates.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

As comedy, the movie is feeble, and as allegory for the socioeconomically literate it is heavy-handed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

While most tech companies have pledged to abide by Australian laws, they have warned that the heavy-handed move could simply push teens to darker, less-regulated corners of the internet.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

And for all its heavy-handed writing and mystifying character flourishes, “Tow” manages to be mostly an effective, if silly, story of perseverance, thanks almost entirely to Byrne’s dogged performance.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 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