ironhanded

adjective

Definition of ironhandednext
as in oppressive

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ironhanded
  1. oppressive
  2. severe
  3. tough
  4. rough-and-tumble
  5. ungentle
  6. grim
  7. stern
  8. heavy-handed
Adjective
  • Other booths included photo opportunities dressed in traditional Colonial garb, hands-on historical exhibits and interactive displays that offered visitors a break from the oppressive heat.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Due to the oppressive heat, the Phillies have adjusted operations through Thursday's game.
    — Eva Andersen, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of oppressive
Adjective
  • Ruffian, racing on the lead, sustains a severe leg injury and is pulled up by jockey Jacinto Vasquez.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The incident occurred on Sunday, July 5, near the front entrance of the Austell theme park after severe weather hit the area, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
    — Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
Definition of severe
Adjective
  • MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The startup’s rough-and-tumble experiments are even more telling.
    — Justine Calma, The Verge, 24 Feb. 2023
Definition of rough-and-tumble
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of ungentle
Adjective
  • If Boltanski’s work recalls Saarland’s grim past, Regenera, by another French artist, Benjamin Duquenne, points toward a hopeful future.
    — Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026
  • White detailed a bizarre, almost miraculous weather event that saved the outdoor fight night just as things looked grim.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • England, which has been patchy so far, poses the sternest test yet for the co-hosts.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 July 2026
  • With upcoming opponents Croatia providing a sterner test in possession, Portugal’s defensive display will be under greater scrutiny.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Yes, Israel has been much too heavy-handed in its response to Hamas in Gaza.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
  • Thorazine is a heavy-handed chemical tool sometimes used not to treat an underlying illness, but to sedate an acute behavioral crisis.
    — Ashley Andreou, STAT, 22 June 2026
Definition of 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.

Browse Nearby Words

ironfisted
ironhanded
ironhearted
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Cite this Entry

“Ironhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironhanded. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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