1
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the building was severely damaged by the explosion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extremely
to a great degree
the rescued mountain climbers were severely dehydrated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severely
Finally, if Anthropic is the third to go public, remember the market will be severely depleted of cash.
—
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 31 May 2026
The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket.
—Space.com Staff, Space.com, 30 May 2026
Many of the programs that helped strengthen regional agriculture, build resilience to climate shocks, and create economic opportunities have either vanished or been left severely underfunded.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
In 2024, 21-year-old Taylen Brooks was killed and his brother Wyatt, 18, was severely injured in an attack in El Dorado County.
—May 30, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2026
On board the ship, several passengers became severely ill, and two died before the illness was identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread from person to person.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
By withdrawing our funding, expertise and participation from the WHO, the United States also severely eroded the capacity of the global institution best positioned to respond to epidemics.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Early reports from sources suggest that the launch infrastructure at LC-36A is severely damaged.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 31 May 2026
The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket.
—Space.com Staff, Space.com, 30 May 2026
Many of the programs that helped strengthen regional agriculture, build resilience to climate shocks, and create economic opportunities have either vanished or been left severely underfunded.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
In 2024, 21-year-old Taylen Brooks was killed and his brother Wyatt, 18, was severely injured in an attack in El Dorado County.
—May 30, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2026
On board the ship, several passengers became severely ill, and two died before the illness was identified as the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread from person to person.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
By withdrawing our funding, expertise and participation from the WHO, the United States also severely eroded the capacity of the global institution best positioned to respond to epidemics.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Early reports from sources suggest that the launch infrastructure at LC-36A is severely damaged.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severely
Adverb
-
Trump harshly criticized Powell throughout his tenure as chair, frequently attacking the Fed’s interest-rate decisions and urging the central bank to cut borrowing costs more aggressively.—
Leah Willingham,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
Trump harshly criticized Powell throughout his tenure as chair, frequently attacking the Fed’s interest-rate decisions and urging the central bank to cut borrowing costs more aggressively.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adverb
-
Canfield, as proven by her work in Stereophonic, is extremely able at playing a character with a pristine, almost porcelain surface and roiling depths.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
-
This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
Adverb
-
Fortunately, this spell of hot temps will be a generally drier heat — not necessarily oppressively humid like is typical for New England.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
-
The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
While there are plenty of moments of necessary humor in the story, with Marquis flexing her knack for comic timing, other moments are terribly uncomfortable to grasp.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
The finish is dry and not terribly long.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adverb
-
In December of ‘91, Beuerlein came off the bench to fill in for injured starting quarterback Troy Aikman and led the Cowboys to an upset playoff win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on a brutally cold day on Lake Michigan.—
Mac Engel
June 4,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
-
In 2023, a Brazilian university student died while waiting for a brutally hot concert by the pop star.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Adverb
-
Leda opened her mouth and left it open, an incredibly affecting gesture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
This is a Ritz-Carlton—incredibly refined, but always approachable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adverb
-
Fernando has no such accidents despite hitting the ball hard.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
The couple hard-launched their relationship in 2019 with their first red carpet appearance at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in LA.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
The allegations are that the defendant was impaired, failed to properly secure two young children, and then caused a crash that left one child dead, another seriously injured, and an innocent driver badly hurt.—
Gino Vicci,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
But Orioles center fielder Blaze Alexander badly misread the ball, which wound up landing at least 60 feet behind him and allowed both runners to score.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severely. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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