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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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
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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
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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
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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
Adjective
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However, the slow collision of Ray’s two worlds unfolds with the stern casualness of two business acquaintances meeting for dinner.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
18 July 2025
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Bill Pogue’s family and friends knew him as a thoughtful, deeply sensitive man, despite his reputation as a gruff, stern, wildlife officer.—
Jim Zumbo,
Outdoor Life,
17 July 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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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
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Severe Injury Risk in Gymnastics Though neck and spinal injuries remain a palpable risk in men’s and women’s gymnastics, severe injuries – causing paralysis or death – are rare.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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While McArthur was being interviewed by investigators, search teams made a grim discovery: a portion of a human skull was found sticking out of the ground, encased in concrete and potting soil.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
19 July 2025
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The grim task, using strategies including hand-sifting and specific diving techniques, is expected to drag on for months.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
18 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ironfisted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ironfisted. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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