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
Duren severely underperformed in the postseason after having a career year.
—
Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 18 May 2026
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Scientists say that heat and emissions generated by a colossal data center like the Stratos project would wreak havoc on an area already severely impacted by climate change.
—Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2026
The building that housed the Wicker Park restaurant was severely damaged in a construction mishap and had to be torn down.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Additionally, about 17% of those severely injured by traffic collisions in Sacramento County were 20 years old or younger.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2026
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can make people severely ill.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Some claim the studies severely damaged the credibility of future investigations of how plants sense and react to their environments.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
Abbass gives a master class in less-is-more restraint in these scenes, her character’s fortitude severely challenged but unbroken by her years of suffering.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 18 May 2026
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Scientists say that heat and emissions generated by a colossal data center like the Stratos project would wreak havoc on an area already severely impacted by climate change.
—Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2026
The building that housed the Wicker Park restaurant was severely damaged in a construction mishap and had to be torn down.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Additionally, about 17% of those severely injured by traffic collisions in Sacramento County were 20 years old or younger.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 16 May 2026
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses carried by rodents that can make people severely ill.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Some claim the studies severely damaged the credibility of future investigations of how plants sense and react to their environments.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
Abbass gives a master class in less-is-more restraint in these scenes, her character’s fortitude severely challenged but unbroken by her years of suffering.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severely
Adverb
-
Later, people tell me that the police interrogated her like a potential suspect—not harshly, just because of standard procedure.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
The bill is separate from a law passed in March that approved the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, a measure harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Adverb
-
But even Black athletes whose athleticism gifted them an extremely exclusive express lane in life can tell you stories about growing up a minority in America, or tales their parents or grandparents have told.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
The theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) suggests that when light at extremely high intensities interacts with the vacuum, it can be converted into matter.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 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
-
Second, the only games the Spurs have lost in this series are when either Wemby has played terribly or gotten thrown out of the game.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
But even doing very little can still go terribly wrong.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Adverb
-
When their convoy is brutally ambushed, they are left handcuffed together and, on the run, forcing her to put her life in his hands.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
-
Sikkema was found brutally murdered in January 2024 in his Rio de Janeiro apartment.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Football clubs are filled with talented professionals who work incredibly hard.—
Shivaas Gulati,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
-
While that sort of payday would be life-changing for the overwhelming majority of humans walking the planet, Reitan is the exception, thanks to his historic and incredibly lucrative family business.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adverb
-
The right idea should expand your world without making your life harder to manage.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
Being shut out of public spaces and opportunities makes reintegration harder, not easier.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
While some African countries are major oil and gas producers, the continent imports the vast majority of its fuels, leaving it badly exposed to foreign energy shocks.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
The man died immediately, but his body badly damaged one of the jet engines.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severely. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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