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
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 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
Even though Florida isn’t known for being harshly cold, some days can still feel surprisingly chilly, and these always come in handy.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The world’s largest automaker, Toyota was harshly criticized for adopting EV technology slowly, but the Japanese giant appears to be staying the course as smaller companies retrench.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The plaintiffs allege that Black employees in the office were disciplined more harshly than their colleagues, denied accommodations and subjected to escalating retaliation after raising concerns about Johnson’s leadership.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
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 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
Even though Florida isn’t known for being harshly cold, some days can still feel surprisingly chilly, and these always come in handy.
—Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The world’s largest automaker, Toyota was harshly criticized for adopting EV technology slowly, but the Japanese giant appears to be staying the course as smaller companies retrench.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
The plaintiffs allege that Black employees in the office were disciplined more harshly than their colleagues, denied accommodations and subjected to escalating retaliation after raising concerns about Johnson’s leadership.
—Chaya Tong, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshly
Adverb
-
Syria’s healthcare infrastructure has been severely damaged during its long-running civil war, while Lebanon’s hospitals have struggled with economic collapse and refugee pressures.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In recent decades, as mental illness has become less stigmatized and as the gap in available coverage has become more acute, states and counties have used tax money to rebuild some of what is needed to care for the most severely mentally ill.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
15 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
-
Asian markets were hit particularly hard; a monthslong rally brutally ended in South Korea, where industry is heavily reliant on raw materials sourced from the Middle East.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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The documentary is built around the investigative work of journalists Katya Hakim and Denis Korotkov who picked up the mantle from three colleagues who were brutally slain while looking into Wagner’s clandestine activities in Africa.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Wahlin said that there’s a difference between making a mistake and making a hard-working mistake.—
Dean Spiros,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
-
England came into the game under fire for its kick-heavy approach, but ran hard at France and was constantly rewarded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harshly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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