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
Bimal Kanti PaulA 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
Tom EwingSynonyms
Examples of severity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Given such staggering statistics and the overall severity of bipolar disorder, the most effective treatment necessitates a combination of psychotropic medications and therapy.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
The initial read on the injury is that Butler sprained his knee, but the MRI will reveal the true severity of the injury.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
Button encourages parents to pay attention to the little things and voice their concerns early on, in addition to documenting those instances no matter the severity of the issue.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Bell said researchers are working to understand when certain biomarkers appear in the blood after brain injury and which ones indicate the severity of head trauma.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2024
The report attributes the strength of the general fund to federal aid, a resilient economy and the development of vaccines to mitigate the severity of the pandemic.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
The bill, filed by Rep. David Casteel, a High Ridge Republican, would increase the severity of felony charges based on the amount of fentanyl involved.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
How to manage a panic attack Managing a panic attack varies by person, the severity of the attack and the trigger for the attack.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024
The identity of the suspect nor information about the severity of his injuries were immediately released.
—Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
The initial read on the injury is that Butler sprained his knee, but the MRI will reveal the true severity of the injury.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
Button encourages parents to pay attention to the little things and voice their concerns early on, in addition to documenting those instances no matter the severity of the issue.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Bell said researchers are working to understand when certain biomarkers appear in the blood after brain injury and which ones indicate the severity of head trauma.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2024
The report attributes the strength of the general fund to federal aid, a resilient economy and the development of vaccines to mitigate the severity of the pandemic.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
The bill, filed by Rep. David Casteel, a High Ridge Republican, would increase the severity of felony charges based on the amount of fentanyl involved.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
How to manage a panic attack Managing a panic attack varies by person, the severity of the attack and the trigger for the attack.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024
The identity of the suspect nor information about the severity of his injuries were immediately released.
—Remington Miller, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'severity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near severity
Cite this Entry
“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/severity. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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