as in hardness
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severity
With breaches growing in frequency and severity, many CFOs now see cyberattacks as a top organizational risk.
—
Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
China, after assessing the severity of Trump’s threats, seems to be ready to strengthen its fiscal stimulus, and is likewise expanding to other overseas markets.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
Allergic reactions can lead to a variety of symptoms with varying degrees of severity.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
The severity of Holiday’s injury is unclear, but the team’s updates have not inspired optimism.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severity
Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
China, after assessing the severity of Trump’s threats, seems to be ready to strengthen its fiscal stimulus, and is likewise expanding to other overseas markets.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
Allergic reactions can lead to a variety of symptoms with varying degrees of severity.
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
The severity of Holiday’s injury is unclear, but the team’s updates have not inspired optimism.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severity
Noun
-
The ultrathin blade made of Japanese carbon steel won't get discolored as easily as others, but the lack of information regarding the hardness of its blade gives me pause as to its performance in the long term.—
Molly Higgins,
Wired News,
2 May 2025
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These tests test for coliform bacteria, lead, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, sodium, chloride, fluoride, pH, hardness, sulfate, turbidity, iron, and manganese.—
Alec Janis,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This is clear in the contrast between the death mask that was shown to the public after her assassination, a softened, youthful version, and her real death mask, which shows the facial rigidity of a 60-year-old woman.—
Elizabeth Djinis,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Until Origin started working on the problem, no one made bottle caps from PET because of its rigidity.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Some express bafflement over the stringency of the requirements.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2012
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The statement went on to explain that the company would increase the stringency of pre-launch testing phases.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes,
1 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severity. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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