Thesaurus
Synonyms & Antonyms of severe
1
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 for severe
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Antonyms for severe
2
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
- clergymen who dressed in severe clothing
Synonyms for severe
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- fixed,
- hard,
- hardened,
- hardheaded,
- immovable,
- implacable,
- inflexible,
- ironhanded,
- mulish,
- obdurate,
- obstinate,
- rigid,
- self-willed,
- set,
- stiff,
- stubborn,
- unbending,
- uncompromising,
- unrelenting,
- unyielding,
- willful
- (or wilful)
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Antonyms for severe
3
not joking or playful in mood or manner
- the judge maintained a severe expression throughout the trial
Synonyms for severe
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- antic,
- comic,
- comical,
- droll,
- farcical,
- funny,
- hilarious,
- hysterical
- (also hysteric),
- laughable,
- light,
- light-headed,
- ludicrous,
- ridiculous,
- riotous,
- risible,
- screaming,
- sidesplitting,
- uproarious
- absurd,
- asinine,
- balmy,
- brainless,
- cockeyed,
- crazy,
- cuckoo,
- daffy,
- daft,
- dotty,
- fatuous,
- foolish,
- half-witted,
- insane,
- jerky,
- kooky
- (also kookie),
- loony
- (also looney),
- lunatic,
- mad,
- nonsensical,
- nutty,
- preposterous,
- sappy,
- screwball,
- senseless,
- silly,
- unwise,
- wacky
- (also whacky),
- weak-minded,
- witless,
- zany
Antonyms for severe
4
difficult to endure
- a severe winter that was among the coldest on record
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5
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
- a severe test of courage
Synonyms for severe
- arduous,
- Augean,
- backbreaking,
- challenging,
- demanding,
- difficult,
- effortful,
- exacting,
- formidable,
- grueling
- (or gruelling),
- hard,
- heavy,
- hellacious,
- herculean,
- killer,
- laborious,
- moiling,
- murderous,
- pick-and-shovel,
- rigorous,
- rough,
- rugged,
- stiff,
- strenuous,
- sweaty,
- tall,
- testing,
- toilsome,
- tough,
- uphill
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Near Antonyms for severe
Antonyms for severe
- cheap,
- easy,
- effortless,
- facile,
- light,
- mindless,
- simple,
- soft,
- undemanding
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for severe
The first known use of severe was in 1548
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