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 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppressively
Adverb
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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
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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
Adverb
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In a separate case, Jake entered a guilty plea to a charge of willful neglect of a child just two years ago after severely abusing his 10-week-old daughter.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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To the south, Mexico’s GDP contracted in the third quarter, sparking fears of a recession, as the industrial sector, ranging from mining to construction to manufacturing, has been severely impacted by trade tensions.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 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
Cite this Entry
“Oppressively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppressively. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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