harshly

adverb

Definition of harshlynext
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering treated the prisoners harshly, and many died

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 harshly Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about the conditions on the Lincoln – not harshly criticizing the administration, but not defending it either. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 At the final stop, so to speak, before Antarctica, the weather is harshly volatile, and in the wilderness surrounding the few small cities and towns, civilization dwindles almost to nothing. — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came out against the plan, releasing a statement to the Associated Press, saying FIFA's staff had been blindsided by it. — Rafael Nam, NPR, 31 July 2026 Like other senior bankers, Sehnaoui was harshly criticized following Lebanon's historic economic meltdown in 2019, when most people lost access to their money. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 He was fired, a little harshly, in May 2021 after one season, having delivered a Coppa Italia to go with a fourth-place finish. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Furthermore, research indicates that the exact same behaviors—such as utilizing AI or employing humor—are often evaluated differently based on gender, with women being judged more harshly. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 The Greek myths are rife with petty and meddlesome deities squabbling, playing favorites, punishing harshly, and otherwise wreaking havoc on the lives of mortal men. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026 The Street graded Meta’s capital expenditure intentions more harshly relative to its hyperscaler peers ( Amazon , Microsoft , and Alphabet ), as monetization of that spend would depend almost entirely on internal demand for compute. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshly
  1. severely
  2. oppressively
  3. brutally
  4. hard
Adverb
  • Shipping traffic remains severely restricted, demonstrating that many shipowners are not willing to risk a possible Iranian attack and underscoring Tehran’s ongoing leverage over Hormuz.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • One pedestrian was killed and another was severely injured during a hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles on Monday, according to Los Angeles police.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • After a bit of a reprieve from an oppressively hot summer, another heat wave is set to scorch Southern California this week.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Survey respondents said their dwellings stayed oppressively hot even at night because overcrowding and poor construction trapped the heat.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • The minors allegedly took Rehan to a secluded area where four people brutally stabbed him.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • After a prolonged siege and fighting, the British recaptured Delhi and brutally suppressed the rebellion.
    — Aishwarya Lakshmi, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of brutally
Adverb
  • Miroshnichenko competes hard and doesn’t shy from physical play.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Now, rising protectionism and inflation have made growth harder for global e-commerce platforms.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

harshens
harshly
harshness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Harshly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshly. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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