as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
treated the prisoners harshly, and many died
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Recent Examples of harshly
Patrick Soon-Shiong, a controversial figure in the biotech industry, was harshly criticized by the Food and Drug Administration for making several false and misleading claims about a cancer treatment in television ads and a podcast.
—
Ed Silverman, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Markets interpreted the message quickly and harshly.
—Benzinga, Freep.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Dissent is harshly punished in Iran, as demonstrated earlier this year when the regime killed thousands of protesters who dared to challenge its rule.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Since leaving office, Ahmadinejad has harshly criticized the Iranian government, and as a result, Iran’s Guardian Council has formally excluded him from running for president.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission’s report cited an investigation published in December 2022 by New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica that found Indigenous students were punished more harshly than other students in New Mexico during the four years ending in 2020.
—Bryant Furlow, ProPublica, 9 Mar. 2026
The Congressional Black Caucus this week harshly criticized Pritzker for his involvement in the Senate race.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
But the Bar still intends to ask the court to punish Uhlfelder much more harshly.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
That proposal had been praised by some neighborhood leaders who often oppose high-rise housing in or near single-family areas, but it was harshly criticized by leaders of the development and business community.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Ed Silverman, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
Markets interpreted the message quickly and harshly.
—Benzinga, Freep.com, 21 Mar. 2026
Dissent is harshly punished in Iran, as demonstrated earlier this year when the regime killed thousands of protesters who dared to challenge its rule.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
Since leaving office, Ahmadinejad has harshly criticized the Iranian government, and as a result, Iran’s Guardian Council has formally excluded him from running for president.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission’s report cited an investigation published in December 2022 by New Mexico In Depth and ProPublica that found Indigenous students were punished more harshly than other students in New Mexico during the four years ending in 2020.
—Bryant Furlow, ProPublica, 9 Mar. 2026
The Congressional Black Caucus this week harshly criticized Pritzker for his involvement in the Senate race.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
But the Bar still intends to ask the court to punish Uhlfelder much more harshly.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
That proposal had been praised by some neighborhood leaders who often oppose high-rise housing in or near single-family areas, but it was harshly criticized by leaders of the development and business community.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshly
Adverb
-
Israel's Ben Gurion airport has been operating on a severely limited basis throughout the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The study examined the high cost across different family structures, highlighting that rising living expenses have severely squeezed the traditional middle-class budget.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
When four of its members (Ogoni chiefs — one of whom was my mother’s brother-in-law) were brutally killed by restive Ogoni youths, the government arrested my father and eight of his colleagues.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Today, the self-congratulation of white liberals has been displaced by white-supremacist promoters of Western civilization who don’t merely posit but brutally enforce inequality between races, peoples, cultures, and nation-states.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
They are being hit so hard, anybody would be negotiating.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There is serious concern that a stoppage that costs games could dampen the enthusiasm the sport worked hard to rebuild.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harshly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshly. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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