Hardly
Hardly adverb - In a manner so as to cause loss or suffering.
Usage example: the new judge vowed to deal hardly with repeat offenders
Severely is a synonym for hardly in behaviour topic. In some cases you can use "Severely" instead an adverb "Hardly", when it comes to topics like harshly.
Nearby Word: hard
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- This was hardly altruistic, though; Mussolini had severely cracked down on the Sicilian Mafia and the gangsters used the war as a means to regain their traditional power.
Source: Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters - This was especially true on the consoles, where the hardware was hardly up to the task, and the market severely restricted by high entry costs and the watchful eyes of the Moral Guardians.
Source: The Rule of First Adopters -
However Wave and Run prove to be an interesting case as despite being two of the more well fleshed out antagonists hardly ever antagonize Night Raid with the exception of Wave severely injuring Akame and Run putting a wrench in the Bolick assassination.
Source: Manga / Akame ga Kill!
Cite this Source
Severely and Hardly. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/severely
Hardly & Severely. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/severely>.
Severely or Hardly. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/hardly/severely.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "hardly" and "severely" have occurred on timeline