high-handed

Meanings

adjectivehigh-handed (comparative more high-handed, superlative most high-handed)

comparative more high-handed · superlative most high-handed · alternative highhanded

Using power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others.
Critics accuse her [von der Leyen] of serious missteps over the pandemic, the Gaza war, alleged cronyism, – and of having a high-handed manner.
2024 May 4, Simon Tisdall, “Giorgia Meloni and Ursula von der Leyen, the double act that is steering the EU ever rightwards”, in The Observer, →ISSN
Synonyms: arrogant, autocratic, overbearing

adjectiveUsing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others.

Similar

adjectivegiven to haughty disregard of others

Similar

Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Bulgarian деспотичен

деспотичен (despotičen)using power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Chinese Mandarin 专横的

专横的using power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Finnish omavaltainen, despoottinen

omavaltainenusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
despoottinenusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
määräileväusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

French cavalier, despotique

cavalierusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
despotiqueusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
arrogantusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
autoritaireusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
impérieuxusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
hautainusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
morgueusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
autocratiqueusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

German eigenmächtig, selbstherrlich

eigenmächtigusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
selbstherrlichusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Russian своево́льный

своево́льный (svojevólʹnyj)using power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Slovak panovačný, despotický

panovačnýusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
despotickýusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Spanish despótico, arrogante

despóticousing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
arroganteusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others
autoritariousing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Swedish egenmäktig

egenmäktigusing power or authority without proper consideration for the feelings or rights of others

Cite this entry

APA

high-handed. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-handed

MLA

“high-handed.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-handed. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “high-handed,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-handed.