Heavy-handed

Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective

Meaning

(derogatory) Clumsy; awkward..

Definitions by Sense

1. (derogatory) Clumsy; awkward.
2. Excessive; overdone.
3. (derogatory) Lacking subtlety or nuance.
4. (derogatory) Overbearing, coercive; unnecessarily forceful; harsh, oppressive.

Example Sentences

Some people say, 'I can't make pastry, I'm too heavy-handed.'

Do not be too heavy-handed with the salt.

However, recently I got a little heavy-handed with the red pepper flakes.

...punk “music has been, and still is, one of the most heavy-handed genres of music there is. Unfortunately the topics of such heavy-handed songs are almost always seeped in left wing propaganda, bumper sticker rallying calls and oversimplifications of otherwise complex topics."

“Heavy-handed, huh? Is that by any chance your way of telling me that I'm a bad communicator?" "No, it's my way of telling you that you obviously haven't shaken the take-charge attitude."

I cite how ineffective heavy-handed training methods are due to the physiological state of high arousal and avoidance behaviors they cause in dogs.

Polls suggest, however, that Beijing’s heavy-handed ways might be backfiring and driving voters to embrace Ms. Tsai. Thousands of Taiwan citizens marched last month against “red media,” or local news organizations supposedly influenced by the Chinese government.

Crowther also distanced the BTP from the heavy-handed approach to the lockdown that other police forces have been accused in the national media of taking.

Synonyms for heavy-handed

Antonyms for heavy-handed

Related Words

Word Forms

• more heavy-handed
• most heavy-handed
• heavyhanded

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions