severe

adjective

se·vere | \ sə-ˈvir

severer; severest

Definition of severe

1a : strict in judgment, discipline, or government

b : of a strict or stern bearing or manner : austere

2 : rigorous in restraint, punishment, or requirement : stringent

3 : strongly critical or condemnatory a severe critic

4a : maintaining a scrupulously exacting standard of behavior or self-discipline

b : establishing exacting standards of accuracy and integrity in intellectual processes a severe logician

5 : sober or restrained in decoration or manner : plain a severe dress

6a : causing discomfort or hardship : harsh severe winters

b : very painful or harmful a severe wound

7 : requiring great effort : arduous a severe test

8 : of a great degree severe depression

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Choose the Right Synonym for severe

severe, stern, austere, ascetic mean given to or marked by strict discipline and firm restraint. severe implies standards enforced without indulgence or laxity and may suggest harshness. severe military discipline stern stresses inflexibility and inexorability of temper or character. stern arbiters of public morality austere stresses absence of warmth, color, or feeling and may apply to rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial. living an austere life in the country ascetic implies abstention from pleasure and comfort or self-indulgence as spiritual discipline. the ascetic life of the monks

Examples of severe in a Sentence

On Feb. 25 regulators laid out details on how they will run the "stress tests" that Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner has promised on the biggest banks. Now those tests, designed to judge whether the banks have the capital to keep lending and absorb losses in a severe recession, face an exam of their own. — Jane Sasseen et al., Business Week, 9 Mar. 2009 A study in February in the journal Lancet, for instance, compared treatments for severe ankle sprains, concluding that a below-the-knee cast is superior to a tubular compression bandage. — Sharon Begley, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2009 Between 2000 and 2004 the number of Americans covered by Medicaid rose by a remarkable eight million. Over the same period the ranks of the uninsured rose by six million. So without the growth of Medicaid, the uninsured population would have exploded, and we'd be facing a severe crisis in medical care. — Paul Krugman et al., New York Review of Books, 23 Mar. 2006 As several economists—most notably Jeffrey Williamson, of Harvard University—have written recently, international trade increased dramatically between 1850 and the First World War. Williamson goes on to point out that one consequence of this earlier period of globalization was that governments retreated into policies of severe trade and immigration restrictions. — Nicholas Lemann, New Yorker, 10 May 1999 The storm caused severe damage to the roof. The patient is in severe pain. children with severe learning disabilities In the most severe cases, the disease can lead to blindness. He suffered a severe head injury. He faces severe penalties for his actions. The war was a severe test of his leadership.

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, however, such groups are full-fledged criminal organizations which are often considered the most severe security threat in Rio. — Marcelo Silva De Sousa, The Seattle Times, "Death toll from collapse of buildings in Brazil rises to 8," 14 Apr. 2019 The most severe of these negative effects include the deterioration of weight-bearing bones and muscles. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Want to Pay Someone $19,000 to Lie Down For Two Months," 29 Mar. 2019 Although a relatively rare disease, SMA in its severest form is the largest genetic cause of death in infants. — Sumathi Reddy, WSJ, "One Family’s Struggle to Get Their Daughter Lifesaving Medication," 20 Jan. 2019 The most severe storm surge is predicted to occur from Mexico Beach to Keaton Beach, Florida, which could see as much 13 feet. — Fox News, "Hurricane Michael, Category 3, getting 'better organized' as it approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, officials say," 9 Oct. 2018 Epidiolex, made by GW Pharmaceuticals, treats severe forms of childhood epilepsy and is the first drug derived from natural cannabis that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. — Angela Chen, The Verge, "This cannabis-derived drug just got approved, but that won’t make it easier to get edibles," 3 Oct. 2018 The center will examine whether cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant, is effective at treating severe forms of autism. — Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press, "Autism, 10 other conditions now qualify patients for medical marijuana," 9 July 2018 At 6 months old, Stevie Browning was diagnosed with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy — the most severe — and was predicted to live between eight months and two years, said his mother, Samantha Angell. — Tessa Weinberg, chicagotribune.com, "Northwestern students give 'freedom' by retrofitting motorized cars for kids with disabilities," 1 July 2018 However, some injuries can be severe and life threatening. — Michael Rivlin, Philly.com, "Philly hand surgeons on devastating fireworks injuries: 'There is nothing left to fix'," 4 July 2018

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