harshly
gb/hˈɑɹʃli/ us/hˈɑɹʃli/
B2
Engleză
~ 8900
Sensuri
0 sensuri
adverb
B2
property
1
in a very unkind or severe way
In a very unkind or very strict way, especially when you speak to or judge someone.
Tipar de utilizare:
[someone] [verb] harshly [someone/something]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes confuse "harshly" with "hardly" because they look similar. "Harshly" means in a very unkind or severe way, while "hardly" means almost not at all (e.g., "I hardly know him"). Another mistake is using "harsh" instead of "harshly" before verbs (e.g., *"He spoke harsh"*). Here the adverb form "harshly" is needed: "He spoke harshly."
Sinonime
severely (Focuses more on great strictness or seriousness, sometimes less on emotional unkindness.)
|
cruelly (Stronger and more emotional; suggests pleasure in causing pain or suffering.)
|
brutally (Very strong; often suggests extreme directness or lack of softness, sometimes physical violence.)
Antonime
gently (Emphasizes kindness and softness in how someone is treated or spoken to.)
|
leniently (Opposite in terms of strictness; suggests mild or forgiving treatment or judgment.)
Colocații
judge harshly
|criticize harshly
|treat someone harshly
|punish harshly
|speak harshly
|harshly worded
Teme
emotions
|communication
|social
|justice
Exemple
- The teacher spoke harshly to him in front of the whole class.
- Many critics judged the film too harshly when it was first released.
- She felt her boss had treated her harshly over a small mistake.
- Protesters argued that the new law punished offenders too harshly.
- His parents reacted harshly when they found out he had lied.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- My coach talked harshly to me after the game.
- The man was punished harshly for a small crime.
- People judged her harshly because they did not know her story.
- He treated his workers harshly, and they were afraid of him.
- The review was written very harshly and hurt the author.
adverb
B2
property
2
in an unpleasantly rough or intense way
In a way that feels very rough, sharp, or uncomfortable to your body, eyes, or ears.
Tipar de utilizare:
[something] [acts/shines/sounds] harshly
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes use "very" instead of an adverb like "harshly" (e.g., *"The light is very on my eyes"*). The correct form is "The light shines harshly in my eyes" to show that the way it shines is rough or uncomfortable.
Sinonime
roughly (Highlights lack of smoothness or care; can describe physical handling or texture.)
|
intensely (Focuses on strength or force, without always implying unpleasantness.)
|
abrasively (Suggests a scraping, irritating quality, especially for surfaces or sounds.)
Antonime
softly (Opposite in terms of force or impact on the senses; gentle and not strong.)
|
mildly (Opposite in strength; suggests low intensity or a gentle effect.)
Colocații
harshly lit room
|light shines harshly
|wind blows harshly
|sound echoes harshly
|scrub harshly
|react harshly on the skin
Teme
nature
|senses
|daily life
|weather
|body
Exemple
- The neon lights shone harshly on their tired faces.
- Cold wind blew harshly across the open field.
- The fluorescent bulbs lit the office harshly, making everyone look pale.
- The microphone picked up the singer's voice harshly, with a sharp metallic echo.
- She scrubbed the pan so harshly that she damaged the surface.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- The sun shone harshly on the dry ground.
- A strong wind blew harshly against my face.
- The light hit his eyes harshly, and he looked away.
- She cleaned the table harshly and left many scratches.
- The music came out harshly from the old speaker.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
harshly
IPA
GB/hˈɑɹʃli/
US/hˈɑɹʃli/
Silabe și accent
harshly (1 silabă)
Stress on 1st syllable (harshly)
Forme ale cuvântului
Noun
- Base: harshly
- Plural: harshlies
Familie de cuvinte
Forms
harshlies
noun
Core family
harsh
adjective B1
harshness
noun
Expresii
harshly worded
1/hˈɑɹʃli wˈɚdɪd/
fixed phrase
using very severe language
Describes a message or text that uses very strong, critical, or unkind words.
Exemple
- She sent a harshly worded email to the customer service department.
- The committee issued a harshly worded statement condemning the decision.
- He later apologized for his harshly worded comments on social media.
judge someone harshly
1/d͡ʒˈʌd͡ʒ sˈʌmwˌʌn hˈɑɹʃli/
fixed phrase
to judge someone very strictly
To think or say very bad things about someone, using very strict or unkind standards.
Exemple
- Try not to judge her too harshly; you don't know what she's going through.
- History may judge this leader harshly for his decisions.
- He tends to judge himself more harshly than anyone else does.
treat someone harshly
1/tɹˈit sˈʌmwˌʌn hˈɑɹʃli/
fixed phrase
to deal with someone very unkindly
To act in a very unkind or very strict way toward a person.
Exemple
- The workers felt the company had treated them harshly during the layoffs.
- He regretted treating his younger brother so harshly when they were children.
- Prisoners were treated harshly under the old regime.