iron fist

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.

Prosecutors say El Hishri ran the prison with an iron fist, with special responsibility over the women's section.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

“Iran brought down the iron fist with speed and ferocity we haven’t seen before,” said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026

And when the authoritarian leader starts to display physical impairment, the people who have been chafing under his iron fist stop fearing him.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

"We need someone who shows an iron fist," Jacqueline Ruz, a 56-year-old Kast supporter, told AFP at his final rally this week in Santiago.

From Barron's • Nov. 16, 2025

By then she was an obese woman with a very pretty face, and she ruled her whole roost with an iron fist, including Uncle Isaac, her husband.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride