1In a manner that is unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses.
the offices are harshly lit by fluorescent lights
Example sentencesExamples
A harshly unpleasant note is struck by the video.
The bell sounded, ringing harshly in the quiet classroom.
In a spare and harshly lit military courtroom, prosecutors began their case.
She has produced a series of three photographs in a harshly lit hotel lobby.
The muted, playful tone feels off, contrasting harshly with the mysterious slamming doors and the solemn tune Marianne plucks on the piano.
Three of these songs bear harshly noisy guitar passages.
He explains his desire to unite the two harshly segregated scenes.
The images range from the evocative to the harshly realistic.
She was snapped harshly back to reality by the clatter of overturned toys.
Unlike traditional fluorescent markers, they are very bright and do not bleach if harshly illuminated.
2In a cruel or severe manner.
I felt I was harshly treated by the court
Example sentencesExamples
They should be fully investigated and harshly punished.
I didn't reply harshly, but I wanted to.
The war correspondent that marines were responding harshly against civilians.
Elizabeth glared harshly at her friend.
It was expected that police would deal harshly with them.
In a harshly worded ruling, the judge said that the company had engaged in illegal practices to use its dominant share in the market against competitors.
Spitting at opponents is disgusting and uncouth and ought to be harshly punished.
We were chided and harshly reprimanded by our own folks.
I was harshly reprimanded and humiliated in front of everyone.
In his lecture, he spoke harshly of journalists who don't believe a newspaper should make a profit.
2.1With an undesirably strong effect.
the fierce wind blew harshly on to my face
the pilot applied the brakes too harshly
Example sentencesExamples
The sharp rise of unemployment apparent from the 1970s was particularly harshly felt.
The door leading outside was opened to reveal deep drifts of snow and still more whipping harshly around.
He looked downwards to see his grip had tightened so harshly around the shovel's handle, he cracked it.
Some of her hair had gotten into her face as the wind blew rather harshly.
Adding insult to injury, the wind's still blowing very harshly up here.
We must not wait for external events like climate change to press harshly upon us or even topple us.
Somewhere outside, a cold wind whips harshly through this barren hinterland.
It will be a welcome boost after being harshly hit by the double whammy of global recession and the attack in which one of its New York hotels was severely damaged.
"Building a new house tests a marriage very harshly," she added.
They might buy only a little time before the spending cuts begin to bite harshly.
Definition of harshly in US English:
harshly
adverbˈhärSHlēˈhɑrʃli
1In a manner that is unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses.
the offices are harshly lit by fluorescent lights
Example sentencesExamples
In a spare and harshly lit military courtroom, prosecutors began their case.
She has produced a series of three photographs in a harshly lit hotel lobby.
The images range from the evocative to the harshly realistic.
Three of these songs bear harshly noisy guitar passages.
She was snapped harshly back to reality by the clatter of overturned toys.
The bell sounded, ringing harshly in the quiet classroom.
Unlike traditional fluorescent markers, they are very bright and do not bleach if harshly illuminated.
He explains his desire to unite the two harshly segregated scenes.
A harshly unpleasant note is struck by the video.
The muted, playful tone feels off, contrasting harshly with the mysterious slamming doors and the solemn tune Marianne plucks on the piano.
2In a cruel or severe manner.
I felt I was harshly treated by the court
Example sentencesExamples
I was harshly reprimanded and humiliated in front of everyone.
I didn't reply harshly, but I wanted to.
In a harshly worded ruling, the judge said that the company had engaged in illegal practices to use its dominant share in the market against competitors.
We were chided and harshly reprimanded by our own folks.
It was expected that police would deal harshly with them.
The war correspondent that marines were responding harshly against civilians.
In his lecture, he spoke harshly of journalists who don't believe a newspaper should make a profit.
Spitting at opponents is disgusting and uncouth and ought to be harshly punished.
They should be fully investigated and harshly punished.
Elizabeth glared harshly at her friend.
2.1With an undesirably strong effect.
the fierce wind blew harshly onto my face
the pilot applied the brakes too harshly
Example sentencesExamples
"Building a new house tests a marriage very harshly," she added.
Some of her hair had gotten into her face as the wind blew rather harshly.
Adding insult to injury, the wind's still blowing very harshly up here.
Somewhere outside, a cold wind whips harshly through this barren hinterland.
They might buy only a little time before the spending cuts begin to bite harshly.
We must not wait for external events like climate change to press harshly upon us or even topple us.
The door leading outside was opened to reveal deep drifts of snow and still more whipping harshly around.
He looked downwards to see his grip had tightened so harshly around the shovel's handle, he cracked it.
The sharp rise of unemployment apparent from the 1970s was particularly harshly felt.
It will be a welcome boost after being harshly hit by the double whammy of global recession and the attack in which one of its New York hotels was severely damaged.