light-handed

[ lahyt-han-did ]

adjective

1. short-handed.
2. having the hands lightly or only slightly encumbered, as with parcels or bundles.
3. having a light touch; handling things delicately and deftly.

Other Words From

• light-handed·ly adverb
• light-handed·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of light-handed¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

In the letter by Ronen Bar, which was leaked to Israeli media, the head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service said that radical settlers were emboldened by light-handed law enforcement.

From BBC

Their light-handed approach is still legible in the artifacts and settlement patterns of post-Collapse farming communities and preserved in the flexible tribute schedules for Maya farmers documented by 16th century Spanish monks.

From Salon

But it’s as if the familiar madcap beats have been wrapped around a drama, and the result is somehow light-handed yet deft and authentic in its treatment of grief’s long tail.

From New York Times

Saudi Arabia's energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Monday defended OPEC+ cuts to oil market supply, saying international energy markets need light-handed regulation to limit volatility.

From Reuters

Writing in The New York Times, the critic Parul Sehgal described Levy’s lucid prose as “light-handed” and leaving “a pleasant sting‌,” and ‌Levy has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize twice.

From New York Times