as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
forced to live under an oppressively cruel government
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
This type of behavior would have seemed brazen in 2019, when trains were oppressively crowded and riders sensed their vulnerability to theft and other forms of disorder.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Apr. 2025
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
This type of behavior would have seemed brazen in 2019, when trains were oppressively crowded and riders sensed their vulnerability to theft and other forms of disorder.
—Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressively
Adverb
-
California law penalizes abuse of a child under 14 especially harshly.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Liberko said she was spoken to harshly in front of others on multiple occasions, including one instance that prompted a guest to intervene, telling Barnum-Dann not to speak to her that way.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Such cuts would defund Florida Forever, severely limiting the state’s ability to protect priority conservation lands and undermining administrative and staffing capacity.—
Susan Carr,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
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Others have been severely neglected or abused or left stranded following their owner’s death.—
Eric Adler
April 26,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Welcome to The Girls, where Khloé Kardashian’s inner circle of real-life besties are raising babies, running businesses, and surviving brutally honest group chats.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
-
To get our energy more directly, less brutally.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oppressively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressively. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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