1
as in harsh
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
a severe, uncompromising teacher who locked the classroom door precisely when the bell rang and let no one in afterward
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fierce
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
clergymen who dressed in severe clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in serious
not joking or playful in mood or manner
the judge maintained a severe expression throughout the trial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in tough
difficult to endure
a severe winter that was among the coldest on record
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a severe test of courage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of severe
In one instance, Langan performed a medical procedure involving a stomach tube that caused a patient to suffer severe complications including choking, vomiting, loss of consciousness and aspiration pneumonia.
—
Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Despite a severe slump in the value of hotels, office buildings and apartment properties in the East Bay and elsewhere in the Bay Area, the region’s industrial and manufacturing hubs still fetch sturdy prices.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
The forecast shows the Kansas City area is safe from severe weather, and flooding is not expected.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
Suffered severe anxiety and depression.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for severe
Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Despite a severe slump in the value of hotels, office buildings and apartment properties in the East Bay and elsewhere in the Bay Area, the region’s industrial and manufacturing hubs still fetch sturdy prices.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
The forecast shows the Kansas City area is safe from severe weather, and flooding is not expected.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
Suffered severe anxiety and depression.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for severe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severe
Adjective
-
The table tells a harsher story.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
The girls’ mother, who traveled to appear in court Thursday with Doe 8, called for a harsh punishment and described how O’Connor, once in Idaho, helped sneak out Doe 8 to see her son, at one point provided them a hotel room.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Reddit is home to many of Civilization VII’s fiercest critics, but Test of Time also appears to be well received there, too.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
She will be remembered for her loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style, and her powdered, almond, crescent cookies at Christmas, hence her name, Auntie Cookie.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
And that came in the guise of a serious illness that threatens — but then ends up solidifying — the unbreakable bond between Deborah (Jean Smart) and her protégé, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), something that has been built up over the course of five seasons.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
29 May 2026
-
This is caused by a variety of factors, some more serious than others.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Management has partly attributed the membership slowdown to tougher comparisons from a year earlier, but there’s more to the story.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
-
The California Assembly on Thursday overwhelming voted in favor of a bill that would prohibit children under 16 years old from having a social media account, setting up what is likely to continue to be a tough battle over the coming months.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
That was so tragic, so difficult for Prince William and Prince Harry which has stayed with them.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Every business leader waiting for a difficult market to come around should pay attention to what happened in Seoul.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
And in France, a country whose approach to secularism is increasingly contested because of its strict regulation of religion in public life, some 13,000 adults were baptized at the Easter Vigil this year — 42% of them ages 18 to 25.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
-
In April Judge Roach issued strict media guidelines for the trial, including a limit of nine media members and prohibiting photography and digital recording of court activity.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Ye-jin is drawn in by the caring nature beneath Matthew’s gruff surface.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Opponents argue the arch would obstruct the historic sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, disrupt a solemn military landscape, and require congressional authorization because it would be built on federal land.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
27 May 2026
-
This solemn rite is a common sight in the rural South, so the locals extended a little grace to the mourning mass, creating a midday traffic jam on the town’s Main Street.—
Theodore R. Johnson,
Washington Post,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severe. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
