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
Several testers found the monk fruit or allulose sweeteners (depending on flavor) tipped the drinks in a harshly herbal or saccharine direction, and found the high from the Uplifting Watermelon Lime flavor to be jarringly strong.
—
Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Tagovailoa was harshly criticized for his comments and later apologized, with many questioning the signal-caller's leadership capabilities.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
This can range from where to stand to create passing lanes to how quickly or slowly to travel in possession — as Elliott harshly discovered against Sunderland.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
The chamber has harshly criticized the proposal on its website and in mass texts.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Bipartisan condemnation of Santos, but some Republican support Many of his fellow congressional Republicans were harshly critical of Santos after his crimes emerged.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
The Justices have also harshly criticized lower-court judges who have blocked the Administration’s actions, including Young, who went so far as to apologize from the bench.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Executive-produced by Knox herself, and produced by Monica Lewinsky, the series emphasizes how naïve Knox was at the time, and just how harshly she was treated by not only the press, but an entire country.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
He was immediately called out by a member of the Directing Staff, who addressed him harshly by his team number.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Tagovailoa was harshly criticized for his comments and later apologized, with many questioning the signal-caller's leadership capabilities.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
This can range from where to stand to create passing lanes to how quickly or slowly to travel in possession — as Elliott harshly discovered against Sunderland.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
The chamber has harshly criticized the proposal on its website and in mass texts.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
Bipartisan condemnation of Santos, but some Republican support Many of his fellow congressional Republicans were harshly critical of Santos after his crimes emerged.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 17 Oct. 2025
The Justices have also harshly criticized lower-court judges who have blocked the Administration’s actions, including Young, who went so far as to apologize from the bench.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Executive-produced by Knox herself, and produced by Monica Lewinsky, the series emphasizes how naïve Knox was at the time, and just how harshly she was treated by not only the press, but an entire country.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
He was immediately called out by a member of the Directing Staff, who addressed him harshly by his team number.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshly
Adverb
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The free-trade agenda sought to deregulate the labor market and prioritize market efficiency, strengthening the hands of employers and severely weakening union and social movements, as anti-free traders had predicted.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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And with an additional 100 percent tariff imposed on Chinese imports, China’s economy would be severely slowed.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
27 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
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
-
On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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The birthday celebration was brutally cut short when Ofir was abducted into captivity, where he was murdered.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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In this Fire sign, the messenger planet not only turns up the volume in communication but is also notorious for having unfiltered opinions, not to mention its brutally honest observations.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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When daylight savings ends next week, dragging yourself out of bed will likely feel even harder.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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But economists say recruiting young people will get harder nationwide as smaller families continue to transform the American population.—
Sarah McCammon,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harshly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshly. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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