severity

noun

se·​ver·​i·​ty sə-ˈver-ə-tē 

: the quality or state of being severe : the condition of being very bad, serious, unpleasant, or harsh

the severity of the climate

the severity of the punishment

Medication can help shorten the illness and lessen its severity.

To make all coastal residents more aware of the severity of the cyclone hazard, and to increase faith and trust in evacuation orders, the emergency personnel must educate them about the benefits of taking refuge in public shelters prior to an approaching cyclone.

—Bimal Kanti Paul

A dog, like a human, is prone to two broadly defined types of bone fracture—open and closed. Within each category, breaks of varying severity may occur.

—Tom Ewing

Synonyms of severity

• hardness
• strictness
• sternness
• rigidity
• harshness
• stringency
• inflexibility
• rigidness

Examples of severity in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

While daytime staffing at its Sharp Mesa Vista behavioral health hospital already meets requirements, overnight shifts have been managed based on the number of patients in beds and on the severity of their illnesses. — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

Responses to the survey help Aurora’s Emergency Management Agency identify the location and severity of storm damage and determine where in-field damage assessments may be needed, officials said. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026

Lesley Kelley, Senior Policy Analyst with Voices for Georgia's Children, noted that homelessness can be defined in several ways and emphasized the severity of the issue in Georgia. — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Jones says no one at the center examined her, ordered imaging or explained the possible severity of her injury. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for severity

• alterity
• asperity
• austerity
• celerity
• dexterity
• disparity
• hilarity
• molarity
• planarity
• polarity
• posterity
• prosperity

Kids Definition

severity

noun

se·​ver·​i·​ty

sə-ˈver-ət-ē

plural severities

: the quality or state of being severe