as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
forced to live under an oppressively cruel government
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Recent Examples of oppressively
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
On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
The perennial presence of wildfire threatens the farmworkers who must choose whether to work in oppressively smoky air or not work at all.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Oct. 2020
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
On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
The perennial presence of wildfire threatens the farmworkers who must choose whether to work in oppressively smoky air or not work at all.
—Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressively
Adverb
-
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
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
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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
-
During a scene from her childhood, Jane brutally digs her nails into her older brother for turning the channel away from Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ lavish 1981 wedding.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In 2019, Atre was kidnapped and found brutally murdered at his Santa Cruz estate.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressively. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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