extreme

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adjective ex·treme \ik-ˈstrēm\

Definition of extreme

1a : existing in a very high degree extreme povertyb : going to great or exaggerated lengths : radical went on an extreme dietc : 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 leftb : 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 slopesb : involved in an extreme sport an extreme snowboarder

extremeness

noun

See extreme defined for English-language learners

See extreme defined for kids

Examples of extreme in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of extreme from the Web

Would capped toxins at a Superfund site stay sealed amid more extreme weather?

— william yardley, The Seattle Times, "Trump’s EPA wants to focus on Superfund cleanups, including Seattle’s Duwamish. Will plans take climate change into account?", 4 July 2017
Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania senator and former president of the Club for Growth, a lobby for extreme libertarian policy, has urged the inclusion of the long-term Medicaid cuts.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "The Republican Health-Care Lie Is Collapsing", 29 June 2017
A popular stone used for these rings is the Lake County Diamond, which is featured in the ring below ($138, etsy.com), and is the result of the pressure and extreme temperatures from Mount Konocti, a now-dormant volcano in Lake County, California.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "Raw Diamonds Are the Next Big Trend for Engagement Rings", 28 June 2017
Suction grabbers can’t work in a vacuum, and sticky chemical adhesives fail in the extreme temperatures of Earth’s orbit.

— lindzi wessel, Science | AAAS, "Watch astronauts play catch with a gecko-inspired gripper", 28 June 2017
Officials have opened the Gulf waters in Gulf Shores and Panama City but are advising visitors to use extreme caution in the wake of Tropical Storm Cindy.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Gulf reopens at Gulf Shores, Panama City; Destin waters remain off limits", 24 June 2017
The scores were compared to the session’s most extreme legislator — good or bad — and turned into standard letter grades for comparison.

— eliot kleinberg and mike stucka, miamiherald, "Half of Florida’s legislators rate ‘F’ or ‘D’ in their support for open records", 24 June 2017
But the extreme haste and unprecedented secrecy that went into so consequential a bill raises the chances that unintended consequences could spring from it.

— matt ford, The Atlantic, "The Risk of Rushing Through Legislation", 23 June 2017
People with extreme weight-loss stories often are moved by an epiphany to turn their lives around.

— don norcross, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Journey takes City Heights man from Burger King to triathlons", 23 June 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of extreme

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin extremus, superlative of exter, exterus being on the outside — more at exterior

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of extreme

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

extreme

noun ex·treme

Definition of extreme

1a : something situated at or marking one end or the other of a range extremes of heat and coldb : the first term or the last term of a mathematical proportionc : the major term or minor term of a syllogism
2a : a very pronounced or excessive degreeb : highest degree : maximum
3 : an extreme measure or expedient going to extremes

in the extreme

: to the greatest possible extent

See extreme defined for English-language learners

Examples of extreme in a Sentence

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 of extreme from the Web

There’s extreme speeding and more and more horrific crashes.

— linda robertson, miamiherald, "Where are Florida’s Highway Patrol troopers? Lowest pay in the nation leads to manpower shortage", 9 June 2017
Gyllenhaal, in a performance that will rank alongside any of the actor’s previous extremes, plays a television zoologist working on behalf of the company (which is run by a pair of sisters, both played by Tilda Swinton.)

— jake coyle, The Seattle Times, "With Bong leading the way, Gyllenhaal goes big in ‘Okja’", 21 May 2017
The challenge with her is that her extreme is so extreme.

— barbara bradley hagerty, The Atlantic, "When Your Child Is a Psychopath", 16 May 2017
They are adapted for life in dynamic landscapes created by glaciers, volcanoes, earthquakes, and climatic extremes.

— deborah sullivan brennan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Most California trout and salmon at risk of extinction", 16 May 2017
Large organic brands - Horizon and Organic Valley - ranked roughly in between the extremes for two of the three measures.

— peter whoriskey, kansascity.com, "Why your milk may not be truly organic", 8 May 2017
Momentum tools are trending lower and are far from oversold extremes, a technical configuration that bodes well for short-duration participants.

— sejul gokal, Bloomberg.com, "Charts Suggest to Sell Treasuries in May and Go Away", 2 May 2017
The relationship between the two economic powers fluctuates between those two extremes, Branstad said, and the U.S. should strive to be partners with Beijing instead of adversaries.

— Washington Post, "China envoy pick pledges to confront Beijing on tough issues", 2 May 2017
Blocks play a huge role in some of the Earth's most notable weather extremes like droughts, heat waves, arctic outbreaks and repetitive rains that set up widespread flooding.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Tom: What is an 'omega block'?", 26 Apr. 2017

First Known Use of extreme

1555

EXTREME Defined for English Language Learners

extreme

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adjective

Definition of extreme for English Language Learners

: very great in degree
: very serious or severe
: very far from agreeing with the opinions of most people : not moderate

extreme

noun

Definition of extreme for English Language Learners

: either one of two opposite conditions, feelings, positions, etc., that are thought of as being far from what is normal or reasonable
: an amount or degree that is far beyond what is normal or reasonable

EXTREME Defined for Kids

extreme

play

adjective ex·treme \ik-ˈstrēm\

Definition of extreme for Students

1 : very great in degree or severity extreme heat extreme poverty
2 : farthest away the extreme edge
3 : more demanding or dangerous than normal extreme sports

extremely

adverb

extreme

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noun ex·treme

Definition of extreme for Students

1 : something as far as possible from a center or from its opposite extremes of heat and cold
2 : the greatest possible degree : maximum He pushed the athletes to the extreme.