extreme

adjective

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ex·treme | \ ik-ˈstrēm

Definition of extreme

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : existing in a very high degree extreme poverty

b : going to great or exaggerated lengths : radical went on an extreme diet

c : exceeding the ordinary, usual, or expected extreme weather conditions

2 archaic : last

3 : situated at the farthest possible point from a center the country's extreme north

4a : most advanced or thoroughgoing the extreme political left

b : maximum

5a : of, relating to, or being an outdoor activity or a form of a sport (such as skiing) that involves an unusually high degree of physical risk extreme mountain biking down steep slopes

b : involved in an extreme sport an extreme snowboarder

extreme

noun

Definition of extreme (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : something situated at or marking one end or the other of a range extremes of heat and cold

b : the first term or the last term of a mathematical proportion

c : the major term or minor term of a syllogism

2a : a very pronounced or excessive degree

b : highest degree : maximum

3 : an extreme measure or expedient going to extremes

in the extreme

: to the greatest possible extent

Other Words from extreme Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About extreme

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Synonyms & Antonyms for extreme

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for extreme

Adjective

excessive, immoderate, inordinate, extravagant, exorbitant, extreme mean going beyond a normal limit. excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable. excessive punishment immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint. immoderate spending inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment. inordinate pride extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste. extravagant claims for the product exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree. exorbitant prices extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree. extreme shyness

Examples of extreme in a Sentence

Adjective The plant is sensitive to extreme heat and cold. They are living in extreme poverty. She went on an extreme diet. Many thought that the punishment was too extreme for the crime. The plan was rejected as too extreme. This is an extreme example of what can happen when a company grows too quickly. He has extreme opinions when it comes to politics. Members of the extreme right opposed the legislation. Noun After spending lavishly for years, the company has now gone to the opposite extreme and has cut expenses drastically. His mood changed from one extreme to the other.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective About 90% of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 June 2021 But most Americans fall between extreme opinions on the issue. — Fox News, 25 June 2021 But proceeding with extreme caution is the only option at this point. — Washington Post, 25 June 2021 Hong Kong is perhaps the most extreme example of a territory where low vaccination and high expectations are entwined. — Mike Bird, WSJ, 25 June 2021 Heat has twice the death toll of tornadoes and four times the death toll of extreme cold, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. — oregonlive, 25 June 2021 Worldwide, extreme heat waves could kill more than 255,000 people each year by 2050, the World Health Organization estimates. — Emily Underwood, Scientific American, 23 June 2021 As temperatures warm, the snowmelt that supplies the river decreases and more water evaporates, especially during extreme heat waves like the West is experiencing this week. — Rachel Ramirez, Pedram Javaheri And Drew Kann, CNN, 17 June 2021 One of the most extreme heat waves ever observed in the western United States this early in the season is near its climax. — BostonGlobe.com, 17 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Equally disconcerting will be the exacerbation of ongoing extreme to exceptional drought in the West. — Jason Samenow, Anchorage Daily News, 24 June 2021 The book documents the recent activities of the extreme Left in the US. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2021 The most elemental of all the 718 Boxster series, the Spyder takes things to a minimalist extreme, notably with a soft top meant to be raised as little as possible. — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 22 June 2021 San Jose and San Francisco represent an extreme, according to the Lending Tree study — across all 50 big U.S. cities, only 4.3% of homes hit or pass the million-dollar mark, only a fraction of the numbers seen in the bay. — Danielle Echeverria, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 June 2021 At the other extreme, countries with very fast population growth can face massive youth unemployment and other problems. — Adrian Raftery, The Conversation, 21 June 2021 The new revelations about sleep in hydras push the sleep discoveries to a new extreme. — Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2021 The one, sure death spiral will be in long-term bonds, particularly from today's extreme, abnormally low yields. — John S. Tobey, Forbes, 13 May 2021 But the beauty of hybrid work is that to be engaged in it productively, no one has to see eye to eye with their co-workers about why either extreme is good or bad. — Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 10 May 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'extreme.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.