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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fierce
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
clergymen who dressed in severe clothing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in serious
not joking or playful in mood or manner
the judge maintained a severe expression throughout the trial
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4
as in tough
difficult to endure
a severe winter that was among the coldest on record
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5
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a severe test of courage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severe
As recently as January, the Liberals trailed the Conservatives by almost twenty points in the polls, owing to a wave of severe, if sometimes incoherent, dissatisfaction with Trudeau.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 1 May 2025
April 2022 water levels Prior to 2023, California was experiencing severe, widespread drought.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
On Wednesday at 11:04 a.m. the NWS Fort Worth TX released a severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 11:45 a.m.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2025
Plaintiffs and the class face severe financial and academic hardship.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 1 May 2025
April 2022 water levels Prior to 2023, California was experiencing severe, widespread drought.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
On Wednesday at 11:04 a.m. the NWS Fort Worth TX released a severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 11:45 a.m.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2025
Plaintiffs and the class face severe financial and academic hardship.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severe
Adjective
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President Donald Trump has launched harsh immigration actions in his first 100 days in office—detaining more people for immigration violations, allowing arrests outside schools and courthouses, and sending more than 200 Venezuelan men to be imprisoned in El Salvador.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
29 Apr. 2025
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This recent New York Times piece highlights some of the harsh realities along with the misperceptions.—
Jennifer Castenson,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Melania Trump has courted controversy, garnered attention for her fashion Trump's fashion choices are the subject of fierce controversy and constant attention.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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Orlando City and Atlanta United will meet on Saturday in a fierce rivalry MLS matchup, a game soccer fans in the U.S. won't want to miss.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But legal experts said a criminal contempt finding would be a serious step to be avoided.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Emergency personnel transported the injured person to a nearby trauma center with serious injuries, officials said.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Published in English, Tehelka had a small circulation but an outsized reputation for tough investigations.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Jimmie Woods-Gray, a member of the city’s fire commission, said that cutting the Equity Bureau is a necessary step in a tough budget year.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
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The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Portuguese manager built his success by adhering to a strict 3-4-3 system at Sporting Lisbon.—
Brett Koremenos,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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Known for his Marian devotion—which encourages piety and seeks the intercession of the Virgin Mary—and strict doctrinal stances, he is viewed as a potential challenger to Parolin, especially in early voting rounds and has odds of 7/1.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
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The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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President Trump Makes His Entrance At Pope Francis' Funeral By Emma Marsden Freelance News Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 7 Pope Francis' funeral took place in a solemn ceremony at the Vatican on Saturday, drawing hundreds of thousands of mourners from around the world.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
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And when public figures die, the resulting rituals can sit awkwardly between a solemn, respectful wake and a chance to personally capture a moment in history.—
Issy Ronald and Lauren Said-Moorhouse,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Severe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severe. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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