as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
forced to live under an oppressively cruel government
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
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
Adverb
-
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
-
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 birthday celebration was brutally cut short when Ofir was abducted into captivity, where he was murdered.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
-
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 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share