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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severely
In the midst of the conversion, a board member named Holden Karnofsky objected to it, arguing that the nonprofit was being severely undervalued.
—
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Tehran now relies heavily on its Shahed drones, with its missile production and launch capacity severely diminished.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral was severely scaled down because of the pandemic.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Apr. 2026
My carambola is severely damage by the freeze and full of dead leaves.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The suit claimed David severely misrepresented the calorie and fat content of each bar, which allegedly has 400% more fat and 80% more calories than advertised.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Out of 629 patients who were severely ill, those who received the transfusion in the first seven days had a five-fold lower risk of hospital death or readmission after 30 days.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has severely disrupted oil exports through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquified natural gas (LNG).
—Sam Meredith,michael Wayland, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
In a pedestrian-vehicle crash scenario, your car will almost alway severely injure even kill the other person involved.
—Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Tehran now relies heavily on its Shahed drones, with its missile production and launch capacity severely diminished.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral was severely scaled down because of the pandemic.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Apr. 2026
My carambola is severely damage by the freeze and full of dead leaves.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The suit claimed David severely misrepresented the calorie and fat content of each bar, which allegedly has 400% more fat and 80% more calories than advertised.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Out of 629 patients who were severely ill, those who received the transfusion in the first seven days had a five-fold lower risk of hospital death or readmission after 30 days.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 3 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has severely disrupted oil exports through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquified natural gas (LNG).
—Sam Meredith,michael Wayland, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
In a pedestrian-vehicle crash scenario, your car will almost alway severely injure even kill the other person involved.
—Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severely
Adverb
-
In episode three, Mary judges Eleanor pretty harshly for her choices with Robert.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In the latest dustup over a groundbreaking HIV prevention medicine, Doctors Without Borders has harshly criticized the manufacturer for refusing to sell its treatment directly to humanitarian organizations.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Even if well-intentioned, this kind of unsolicited feedback can be extremely frustrating and even hurtful.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
After the family moved to America, Crockett was diagnosed with the extremely rare syndactyly-telecanthus-anogenital and renal malformations syndrome, or STAR syndrome, which impacts different parts of the body.—
Megan Vaz,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
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
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The new Attorney General is apt to be just as destructive as Bondi—maybe even more so, given that Bondi, who had little familiarity with the federal legal system, was not terribly effective in the job.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In his absence was a grievance fest about a nation heading terribly off course, with foes at every turn to defy the greatness for which MAGA yearns.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For those who know the play well, some of Mantello’s choices are most striking, especially the horror here of the famous hotel-room scene with a tawdry lover (brutally played by Katherine Romans), an act born of loneliness that destroys a father’s relationship with his son forever.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The woman told officers that at some point, Morehead came back and brutally attacked her, including punching her in the face and stomach and dragging her back inside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
What starts as a playful, casual parlor game suddenly turns incredibly dark, not just because of Emma’s confession but by Rachel’s sudden turn from loyal friend to judgmental scold.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Hardside coolers are incredibly heavy when filled, but this one is easy to wheel across parking lots, beaches, and parks.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Third baseman Matt Chapman charged hard and fielded the ball, but the ball popped out of his glove on the exchange.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
No baseball community dies harder, without reward, than the Rockies faithful, spring after spring.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
And then the police really botched it badly.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The mother of the malnourished and badly bruised youngster, Dominque Servant, 33, has been charged, alongside her boyfriend, Joey Ruffin, 38, with causing Markell’s death in February.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severely. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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