as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
treated the prisoners harshly, and many died
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Recent Examples of harshly
The Justices have also harshly criticized lower-court judges who have blocked the Administration’s actions, including Young, who went so far as to apologize from the bench.
—
Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Despite those concessions, the law has been harshly criticized by Neighbors for a Better California, a group that advocates for preservation of single-family neighborhoods.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Executive-produced by Knox herself, and produced by Monica Lewinsky, the series emphasizes how naïve Knox was at the time, and just how harshly she was treated by not only the press, but an entire country.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In the 42nd minute, having cut inside Niang, Leysen lunged wildly to try and prevent Elanga recovering the ball, but got nowhere near it and conceded a penalty (he was harshly adjudged to have handballed it during the second half for another spot kick, too).
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
He was immediately called out by a member of the Directing Staff, who addressed him harshly by his team number.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Parents may drink an extra glass of wine, avoid a tough conversation, or judge themselves harshly when they’re stressed.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Yet, boards scrutinize their decisions more harshly, and media coverage frames their departures more negatively.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
Paes spoke passionately about the urgent need for resources in the harshly remote settings seen in the film — settings that help to foment these cycles of abuse.
—Stacey Wilson Hunt, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2025
Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Despite those concessions, the law has been harshly criticized by Neighbors for a Better California, a group that advocates for preservation of single-family neighborhoods.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Executive-produced by Knox herself, and produced by Monica Lewinsky, the series emphasizes how naïve Knox was at the time, and just how harshly she was treated by not only the press, but an entire country.
—Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In the 42nd minute, having cut inside Niang, Leysen lunged wildly to try and prevent Elanga recovering the ball, but got nowhere near it and conceded a penalty (he was harshly adjudged to have handballed it during the second half for another spot kick, too).
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
He was immediately called out by a member of the Directing Staff, who addressed him harshly by his team number.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025
Parents may drink an extra glass of wine, avoid a tough conversation, or judge themselves harshly when they’re stressed.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Yet, boards scrutinize their decisions more harshly, and media coverage frames their departures more negatively.
—Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
Paes spoke passionately about the urgent need for resources in the harshly remote settings seen in the film — settings that help to foment these cycles of abuse.
—Stacey Wilson Hunt, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harshly
Adverb
-
On July 14, a jury of 10 women and two men found Serafini guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder for the shooting that killed his father-in-law Gary Spohr, 70, and severely wounded his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, 68, at their home.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
But Israel continues to severely restrict crossings open for aid shipments and who can send aid through them.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
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
Adverb
-
Expect brutally honest exchanges around money, trust and intimacy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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However, as Fatu's entrance music played, cameras cut backstage to reveal he had been brutally attacked.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
In police bodycam footage shown in The Perfect Neighbor, Lorincz claims that Owens had been banging on her locked front door so hard that her house started shaking.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
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Every day, we are inundated with imagery urging us to work harder, buy more … and never stop.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harshly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harshly. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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