harshly

/ˈhɑːʃli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɑːrʃli/ (ame, ipa)

harshly — adverb

1. with more blame, anger, or punishment than kindness, so the other person feels h

1.副詞B2
釋義

with more blame, anger, or punishment than kindness, so the other person feels hurt or unfairly treated

例句

Adina harshly criticized the waiter after he dropped a spoon.

criticized harshly after a small mistake

Faisal's uncle spoke harshly to him for losing the house key.

spoke harshly to + person

同義詞
  • sternly

    firm and serious, but often less hurtful than harshly

  • severely

    stresses strict punishment or criticism more than personal coldness

  • cruelly

    stronger and more openly heartless than harshly

反義詞
  • gently

    with care and softness rather than hard criticism

  • kindly

    with warmth and concern for the other person

文法句型

speak harshly to + person

criticize + person harshly

be treated harshly

judge/punish harshly

用法筆記

Usually modifies verbs of speaking, blaming, punishing, or treating. Stronger and more negative than sternly because it suggests the words or action feel unkind, not merely firm.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher spoke harshly but kindly to the class.
✅The teacher spoke sternly but kindly to the class.
💡harshly suggests lack of kindness, so it clashes with kindly.

2. with light, sound, or another strong effect hitting the eyes or ears so hard tha

2.副詞B2
釋義

with light, sound, or another strong effect hitting the eyes or ears so hard that it feels unpleasant

例句

Sunlight hit the white wall harshly at noon through the skylight.

light hitting the eyes too strongly

The bathroom light shone harshly across Hana's sleepy face.

shone harshly with an unpleasant bright effect

同義詞
  • sharply

    can describe a strong unpleasant edge, but not always sensory discomfort

  • glaringly

    mainly for light or color that is painfully bright

  • gratingly

    mainly for sounds that scrape at the ears

反義詞
  • softly

    with a gentle, comfortable sound or light

  • gently

    without the hard sensory impact that harshly has

文法句型

shine/glare harshly

sound/ring harshly

harshly lit + place

用法筆記

Most often used with verbs about light and sound, especially shine, glare, ring, and sound. Unlike sense 3, this sense is about discomfort to the eyes or ears rather than damage from physical force.

常見錯誤

❌The room was harshly warm after lunch.
✅The room was uncomfortably warm after lunch.
💡harshly usually describes light, sound, or another strong sensory effect, not temperature by itself.

3. using rough pressure or contact that can scratch something, tear it, or feel bad

3.副詞B2
釋義

using rough pressure or contact that can scratch something, tear it, or feel bad against the skin

例句

Mert scrubbed the pan too harshly and scratched the metal surface.

scrubbed too harshly and caused damage

The wool scarf rubbed harshly against Maeve's neck during the hike.

rubbed harshly against + body part

同義詞
  • roughly

    the nearest everyday synonym for forceful or careless handling

  • abrasively

    focuses on scraping friction against a surface

  • forcefully

    stresses strength, but not always the rough unpleasant contact

反義詞
  • gently

    with soft, careful contact

  • lightly

    with only a small amount of pressure

文法句型

handle + object harshly

rub harshly against + body part

pull/scrub harshly

用法筆記

Usually describes physical handling, rubbing, pulling, or scrubbing. Use this sense when the contact itself is rough enough to scratch, tear, or irritate a surface or skin.

常見錯誤

❌Rub the cream harshly into your hands.
✅Rub the cream gently into your hands.
💡harshly suggests rough pressure that may hurt skin or damage a surface.