extreme 1 of 2

1
as in farthest
most distant from a center spacecraft that is specially designed to explore the extreme edge of our solar system

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

extreme

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word extreme different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of extreme are excessive, exorbitant, extravagant, immoderate, and inordinate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

When is it sensible to use excessive instead of extreme?

Although the words excessive and extreme have much in common, excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

Where would exorbitant be a reasonable alternative to extreme?

The words exorbitant and extreme are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

When might extravagant be a better fit than extreme?

The meanings of extravagant and extreme largely overlap; however, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

In what contexts can immoderate take the place of extreme?

The words immoderate and extreme can be used in similar contexts, but immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

When could inordinate be used to replace extreme?

While the synonyms inordinate and extreme are close in meaning, inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extreme
Adjective
The combination of recent safety concerns with its flagship product, overwhelming dependence on a single revenue source, significant cash burn, and extreme stock volatility creates a highly speculative investment scenario suitable only for investors with high risk tolerance. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 Additionally, Madigan championed the state’s extreme gerrymandering by drawing the maps during the 1980s, 2000s and 2010s, plus influenced the 2020s effort. Matt Paprocki, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Noun
As the hours ticked by on Friday, reactions in Israel vacillated between extremes. Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 13 June 2025 Geomagnetic storms are ranked using a G-scale, which ranges from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for extreme
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extreme
Adjective
  • That's close to the farthest point in its orbit, which is 252,088 miles away, according to NASA.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Shortly before entering that orbit, NASA says Orion will travel 57, 287 miles beyond the moon at its farthest point from the lunar surface.
    Lee Roop | lroop@al.com, al, 23 Nov. 2022
Adjective
  • Anyone who reads history knows the only reason any workers anywhere have any sort of rights is because past workers formed unions, and radical, militant ones at that.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
  • The administration’s radical and peremptory elimination of U.S. foreign assistance removed a lever of American influence and telegraphed a level of indifference that will not go unnoticed.
    KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • According to Mock, your professional maid service will not have the proper tools to safely remove excessive mold issues.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
  • Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, will protest the wedding over concerns its scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • While no one reported seeing the shark, the victim had injuries consistent with a shark bite on an upper extremity, the chief said.
    Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 11 June 2025
  • The archaeologists eliminated soldiers on the lists who survived or lost an extremity.
    CBS News, CBS News, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • Yes, Blackhawks fans have always been a rabid bunch — the Standbys Club being a perfect example.
    Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
  • The Pacers had taken several of the Thunder’s best runs and their rabid defensive pressure and inverted it.
    Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Google Trends data from April to May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, showed a worldwide peak in online searches for dog adoption, up to 250% higher than typical trends for early pandemic months.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 June 2025
  • Located in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the northeastern United States.
    Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • The trade-in prices range from a maximum of £675 ($920.50) for the base Pixel 9, £820 ($1118.24) for the Pixel 9 Pro / XL and £1,045 ($1425.07) for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
    Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • For those who delay claiming until age 70, the monthly benefit rises to a maximum of $5,108.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extreme.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extreme. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on extreme

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!