big stick

NOUN

finesse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acumen competence guile quickness savvy skill sophistication subtlety tact

STRONG

adeptness adroitness artfulness artifice bluff cleverness con craft craftiness cunning delicacy diplomacy discernment discretion feint gimmick polish racket ruse savoir-faire stratagem trick wile

WEAK

grift runaround

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ignorance inability incapability ineptness

STRONG

frankness honesty openness stupidity truthfulness

NOUN

heavy hand

Synonyms

WEAK

firm hand iron boot iron hand strong hand tight rein tight ship

NOUN

iron hand

Synonyms

WEAK

control firm hand grip heavy hand high hand iron boot iron fist iron rule jackboot mailed fist strong hand tight grasp tight hand tight rein tight ship

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

President Theodore Roosevelt famously said “speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.”

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

“We don’t go in with the big stick to begin with,” Morling said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024

“Sometimes it seems to say: ‘Well if you don’t like these carrots, we’ve got a big stick as well,” he said.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2023

In his first spell, Gatland did not so much wave a magic wand but a very big stick to solve the issues of the day.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2023

I took the big stick out of my backpack—a bedpost I’d broken off Crusty’s Safari Deluxe floor model.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan