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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fierce
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
clergymen who dressed in severe clothing
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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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as in hardness
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
even though no one expected the film to be a hit with the critics, the director was taken aback by the severity of the criticism
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severe
Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, leading to more frequent and severe flooding and drought.
—Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 26 June 2025
Eating healthily can help reduce the severity of symptoms.10
Sleep is also a significant factor associated with weight gain during menopause.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Adjective
And damage to roofs and interior contents is typically only covered if caused by high-speed winds during hurricanes, tornadoes or other severe weather.
—Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 12 July 2025
Climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, leading to more frequent and severe flooding and drought.
—Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Noun
As far as the different effects in WUI and non-WUI zones are concerned, the authors found that prescribed burns led to an 8.5 percent drop in fire severity in the former and a 20 percent decline in the latter.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 26 June 2025
Eating healthily can help reduce the severity of symptoms.10
Sleep is also a significant factor associated with weight gain during menopause.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severe
Adjective
-
The mask fully blocks out the harsh cabin lighting and that inevitable sunrise glow before landing.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
10 July 2025
-
Before Getting Started When cleaning your oven, try to avoid using harsh oven cleaners or using the self-cleaning feature.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
With so many players in the game, the competition is simultaneously fierce and toothless.—
Todd Fisher,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
Winds, too, were fierce, gusting up to 70 mph at the lakefront, according to the National Weather Service.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Simultaneously, approximately 850,000 Ozark Trail 64 oz Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottles were pulled after reports that defective lids could forcefully eject and cause serious injuries, including permanent vision loss in two cases.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
The report cited Biden's sleep apnea treatment and stiffened gait from arthritis, but mentioned no serious ailments.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
With one out, however, Ohtani was thrown at the plate trying to score from third on Pages’ chopper up the line — making an aggressive, but proper, read in a game in which the Dodgers had long before conceded that runs would be tough to come by.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
-
The tough part is deciding between a leather sofa or a plush number made with performance fabric.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
James is playing the final year of his contract at $52.6 million, which is a very difficult number for teams to pay.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
-
Our models and expertise can sniff out the broad parameters, but the precise location and timing of moisture plumes, training (quasi-stationary rain cells), and forcing mechanism can be difficult.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
The hardness enables the blades to be sharpened at a much steeper angle than Western knives.—
Akiko Katayama,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
Barnaby is working with a team on improving radiation hardness in FinFETs.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Growing up in a strict Mennonite community in rural Ohio truly shaped my ethics and values.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
11 July 2025
-
That’s not the strict definition of doxxing because the post did not give Butker’s address.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
With a deep, gruff voice and animus toward humanity, McCarthy was an unusual dance-music star when Nitzer Ebb started notching chart hits.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2025
-
Two months ago, the world lost a gruff and burly guitar player named Al Barile.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Severe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severe. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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