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.

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

AFP asked Adam Fisk, head of US-based nonprofit Lantern, which offers an advanced VPN, how his technology and similar apps can get around such heavy-handed blocking.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

As mayor he was criticised by rights groups for using the police against street vendors in a heavy-handed manner, as he worked to keep roads clear in the capital and crack down on unlicensed businesses.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

A precedent from early-20th-century Britain augurs ill for the heavy-handed U.S. approach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

There was no way I could get heavy-handed and demand that an English person send me money, even if he owed it to me personally.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris