iron hand

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.

Critics say he has ruled with an iron hand since he seized control and having gone back on pledges to step down, he is the only president most Ugandans have known.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

"There's a very strict regime of censorship that relies a lot on self-censorship, but the iron hand of repression is there to enforce it," he said.

From Reuters • Dec. 2, 2022

Otherwise, corruption inevitably will reign with an iron hand and a steel boot.

From Slate • May 19, 2022

John Bolton met Thursday with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 10 million with an iron hand for a quarter century, showing little tolerance to dissent and independent media.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 29, 2019

It felt as if an iron hand had gripped his heart and was pulling it out between his ribs, so that he pressed his hands to the place and vainly tried to hold it in.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman