Synonyms of severity

severity

noun

sə-ˈver-ə-tē 

as in hardness

the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)

even though no one expected the film to be a hit with the critics, the director was taken aback by the severity of the criticism

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hardness
• strictness
• sternness
• rigidity
• harshness
• stringency
• inflexibility
• rigidness
• resolve
• rigor
• rigorousness
• determination
• exactingness
• gruffness
• callousness
• firmness
• implacability
• obduracy
• dourness
• steadfastness
• pitilessness
• hard-heartedness
• stubbornness
• obstinacy
• monasticism
• obdurateness
• asceticism
• austereness
• austerity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flexibility
• tolerance
• gentleness
• tenderness
• patience
• softness
• kindness
• mildness
• indulgence
• willingness
• forbearance
• laxness
• responsiveness
• compliance
• lenience
• pliability
• pliancy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of severity

The drug stops the virus from multiplying in the body, effectively constraining its severity. — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026

In a statement, Google’s vice president of security engineering, Heather Adkins, downplayed the severity of the incident. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026

Riff said once Williams has the MRI to determine the severity of the injury, it will be graded, with each subsequent grade of 1 through 3 requiring more recovery time. — Jori Parys, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

The exotic premise is developed with relentless seriousness, even severity, extracting deep pathos from the characters’ eerie reckonings. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026