heavy-handed
adjective
heavy-hand·ed
ˈhe-vē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: showing a lack of skill : clumsy
The effect achieved is so subtle that, in contrast, much twentieth-century paintwork seems crude and heavy-handed.—
Elizabeth Lambert
Elizabeth Lambert2
: oppressive, harsh
a heavy-handed approach to crime
heavy-handedly
adverb
heavy-handedness
noun
Examples of heavy-handed in a Sentence
the new manager's heavy-handed approach soon had employees turning in their letters of resignation
felt heavy-handed and awkward when holding the newborn infant
Recent Examples on the Web
Her past with Alexander relates to the titular test, which the series forgets about entirely for hours at a time before a finale in which absolutely everything ties back to the lessons of that test in the most heavy-handed way.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
But Jennifer Friedenbach, the Executive Director on Homelessness, disagrees with the mayor's heavy-handed approach to solving the problem.
—Ryan Yamamoto, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Chopard has long been a partner of the Mille Miglia, and its timepieces that celebrate the famous automotive event are cool without being too heavy-handed.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2025
There’s a lot of acting here, little of it peak-form for the talent involved, though the ensemble lifts and colors Anders’ sometimes heavy-handed dialogue.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
But Jennifer Friedenbach, the Executive Director on Homelessness, disagrees with the mayor's heavy-handed approach to solving the problem.
—Ryan Yamamoto, CBS News, 18 Dec. 2025
Chopard has long been a partner of the Mille Miglia, and its timepieces that celebrate the famous automotive event are cool without being too heavy-handed.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2025
There’s a lot of acting here, little of it peak-form for the talent involved, though the ensemble lifts and colors Anders’ sometimes heavy-handed dialogue.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heavy-handed
Cite this Entry
“Heavy-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heavy-handed. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share