SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
high-handed
adjective
Using power without proper regard for other people's rights or concerns.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Disregarding others' rights
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topHigh-handed criticizes the way power is exercised; cavalier emphasizes disregard rather than authority itself.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See high-handed in use
The board's high-handed decision to cancel discussion angered the members.
The warden's high-handed seizure of a trader's covered stall ignored the trader's agreed right to use that space.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license