as in jackbooted
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironfisted
Adjective
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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
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The Collector is also hoping these will satiate the growing wants of his oppressive overlord, The Forger (Roddy Ricch), who has mysterious motives of his own.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
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Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The decision — coming about 13 hours after the president's latest tariff hikes went into effect — encouraged investors who had worried that a heavy-handed approach to trade would drive the U.S. into a recession and raise inflation.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
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That’s not what’s happening here; these are heavy-handed slashings by a man who fundamentally does not understand or respect the functions of the agencies under his stewardship.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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But going back to trying to be gentle in ungentle times.—
Stephanie Stradley,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Sep. 2020
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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
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According to a weather service forecast, the main threat on Saturday appears to be primarily to Northwest Arkansas, but by Sunday a slight risk of severe weather is forecast for most of Arkansas.—
Dale Ellis,
Arkansas Online,
19 Apr. 2025
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Plaintiffs and the class face severe financial and academic hardship.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In April, 2004, Phish played a series of exceptionally grim shows in Las Vegas.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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This latest escalation is a grim reminder: Russia was and remains the aggressor, in blatant violation of international law.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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