high-handed
/hʌɪˈhandɪd
/adjective
Using power or authority without considering the feelings of others: a fairly high-handed decision...
- This smacks of authoritarianism and of a high-handed approach to state affairs, again reinforcing the notion that there is no real or sufficient balance of power.
- As far as I am concerned it was a high-handed decision made without any regard for the feelings of the local people.
- At the council meeting, Labour's David Green said the decision had been high-handed and senseless.
Synonyms
imperious, arbitrary, peremptory, arrogant, haughty, domineering, bossy, overbearing, overweening, heavy-handed, high and mighty, lordly, inflexible, rigid;
autocratic, authoritarian, undemocratic, anti-democratic, dictatorial, oppressive, repressive, despotic, tyrannical
informal pushy, cocky
rare pushful
Derivatives
high-handedly
/ adverb ...- But when he high-handedly dismissed chunks of Tchaikovsky's freshly completed Fourth Symphony as ‘just ballet music’, an indignant Tchaikovsky retorted, ‘What on earth's wrong with that?’
- I am surprised that an organisation as big as the archdiocese did not wait until planning permission was granted, and has behaved so high-handedly and ignored the council.
- I went over to see the IT manager in his lair and, as high-handedly as possible, told him that my keyboard wasn't working and could he perhaps find me another one, so that I could do my job.
high-handedness
/ noun ...- During the eighties, it was this kind of Democratic high-handedness that built up such an enormous reservoir of ill will among Republican House members.
- Having conceded the dissatisfaction among backbenchers with ministerial high-handedness, he presented proposals which would get MSPs involved in making policy and give them access to civil service advice.
- His high-handedness also promises to make his policies ineffective.