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iron-fisted

ADJECTIVE

merciless

Synonyms

STRONGEST

barbarous callous cruel fierce grim harsh implacable inexorable inhumane relentless ruthless severe unforgiving unrelenting unsparing unyielding

STRONG

unmerciful

WEAK

compassionless cutthroat dog-eat-dog gratuitous hard hardhearted hatchet job having a killer instinct mean machine mortal pitiless unappeasable uncalled-for unfeeling unflinching unpitying unsympathetic wanton

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright calm compassionate considerate easy feeling flexible gentle kind merciful mild nice peaceful polite remorseful sympathetic tender yielding

WEAK

giving sparing

ADJECTIVE

strict

Synonyms

STRONGEST

draconian exacting harsh rigid rigorous scrupulous severe stern stringent tough

WEAK

austere dead set disciplinary dour firm forbidding grim hard hard-boiled no-nonsense oppressive picky prudish punctilious puritanical set square stickling straight strait-laced stuffy unpermissive unsparing uptight

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy easygoing facile flexible gentle kind lenient mild nice soft tolerant

WEAK

amenable tractable uncertain yielding

ADJECTIVE

stringent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

binding demanding draconian exacting forceful harsh inflexible ironclad rigorous severe stiff strict tough

WEAK

acrimonious brick-wall by the book by the numbers compelling confining convincing dead set on drawing dyed-in-the-wool hard hard-nosed picky poignant powerful rough set unpermissive valid

Antonyms

STRONGEST

amenable calm easy easygoing facile flexible gentle kind lenient mild nice pliable pliant soft weak willing yielding

WEAK

inexact tolerant

ADJECTIVE

unrelenting

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ceaseless constant continual continuous endless implacable incessant inexorable persistent relentless ruthless tenacious unabated unremitting unwavering unyielding

WEAK

bound bound and determined brick-wall cruel dead set on grim hanging tough hardheaded intransigent mortal perpetual pitiless remorseless rigid set steady stern stiff stiff-necked tough unbending unbroken unflinching unsparing

Antonyms

STRONGEST

broken ceasing changeable completed ending finished flexible halting inconstant infrequent intermittent interrupted irregular kind merciful nice occasional stopping surrendering sympathetic terminable varying wavering yielding

WEAK

compassionate relenting

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.

Abelardo de la Espriella, a rich lawyer who promised an iron-fisted crackdown on drug thugs, finished ahead of ruling movement’s leftist hopeful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

The Attorney General's office and courts announced the start of the trial, part of iron-fisted President Nayib Bukele's anti-gang crackdown.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

A key focus will be if he seeks to steer Cambodia out of the orbit of China and patch up ties with the United States that have perennially been strained by his father's iron-fisted approach.

From Reuters • Jul. 22, 2023

That discontent bubbled over in recent weeks as throngs of students, job seekers and young professionals stormed the streets in major cities across China to protest the government’s iron-fisted Covid rules.

From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2022

Gerhard grabs his brother's hand, grips it, iron-fisted.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

iron-fisted

Example Sentences

Related Words