as in jackbooted
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironfisted
Adjective
-
Cooper was obsessed with the New World Order and the actions of jackbooted government enforcers against the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, and white separatist Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.—
Andrew Stuttaford,
WSJ,
19 Sep. 2018 -
Hungary under his rule is far from a jackbooted dictatorship, but its democracy is diverging markedly from that of many of its partners in the European Union.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
Washington Post,
6 Apr. 2018
Adjective
-
In many areas along and east of the Mississippi River, heat index values could soar to between 110 and 115 degrees — the kind of oppressive heat that can quickly turn dangerous without proper precautions.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
23 July 2025
-
Generally, when dew point values climb into the 70s, the heat becomes a nuisance and feels oppressive.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
While Medwin’s voiceover thankfully ceases after that first scene, a heavy-handed score serves much the same purpose, prodding us toward big and obvious emotions rather than contrasting or highlighting them.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
21 July 2025
-
The government’s heavy-handed reaction to the demonstrations have left at least 90 people dead over the last two years.—
Ken Opalo,
semafor.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
But she and the remaining Storm family members are swept up into an inheritance game – her father’s last wish, organized by her father’s stern, handsome right-hand man.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
-
Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images With the matchup looming large as the 2025 season continues to draw closer, one of Rodgers' former teammates on the Jets has spoken out with a stern warning to him.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
If coffee is a sledgehammer blow to the brain — admittedly sometimes useful — yaupon was more like a gentle neural stroking.—
Gabriel Popkin,
Washington Post,
15 Aug. 2022
-
And Sundwall said that, in retrospect, state health officials took a sledgehammer approach to mitigating the pandemic, such as school closings in 2020, when the state could have taken a more surgical tack.—
Bethany Rodgers,
The Salt Lake Tribune,
27 Sep. 2021
Adjective
-
But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.—
Stephanie Stradley,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Sep. 2020
-
Notes From an Apocalypse is a gentle argument for coming to terms with the precarity of life, published in a moment where people are facing its fragility in an immediate and ungentle context.—
Kate Knibbs,
Wired,
16 Apr. 2020
Adjective
-
Michigan's Lower Peninsula is expected to see potentially severe weather on July 24, with rain developing over the Upper Peninsula as well.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
-
The chronic disease can cause severe symptoms like extreme pain and in some cases contribute to infertility.—
Health Reporter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Then Pike makes another grim discovery: a desiccated human leg.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 July 2025
-
The hunger alert and the new death toll are grim milestones in a conflict that began almost two years ago when Hamas attacked Israel, sparking an offensive that has laid waste to much of the enclave and ignited hostilities across the region.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
28 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share