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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severity
Most people begin to improve within a few weeks, with full recovery in many cases within three to six months, though the timeline can vary depending on severity.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone with an egg allergy eating the rolls could suffer anything from discomfort to death, depending on the severity of the allergy.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The severity of the flooding, which saw the mine’s lowest level under 9 feet of water, was due not just to the rush of rain, but to the fact that a lightning strike cut the power supply and stopped the mine’s pumps from working.
—Jay Gabler, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
The severity of Betts’ injury was not immediately clear.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for severity
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
Someone with an egg allergy eating the rolls could suffer anything from discomfort to death, depending on the severity of the allergy.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The severity of the flooding, which saw the mine’s lowest level under 9 feet of water, was due not just to the rush of rain, but to the fact that a lightning strike cut the power supply and stopped the mine’s pumps from working.
—Jay Gabler, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
The severity of Betts’ injury was not immediately clear.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for severity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severity
Noun
-
Another method is to perform a soil hardness test.—
Nora Doonan,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Experts recommend descaling every one to three months, depending on water hardness, and suggest preventative measures like occasional hot cycles, using the correct detergent amount, and regular wiping of machine parts.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The ubiquity and strictness of regulation has real business impacts.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
And there’s little strictness about ideological consistency.—
Charles Duhigg,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Saura had a large sense of the humor, which struck those who got to know him, belying the sternness of his public visage with his playful banter and frequent chuckle.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So the researchers first stripped the wood of lignin, the component that gives it color and rigidity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
As much as an institutional critique, Szpila has given us a parable on the dangers of fanaticism and the necessity of radicalism, and the obvious parallel between the rigidity of belief systems.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sunlight naturally sanitizes, and air drying prevents the harshness of high heat.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The tinted visor that Morgan Geekie wore for two games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars in January could help mute the lights’ harshness.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These rules were enforced with various levels of stringency throughout the week, but several journalists complained of having to argue with security staff in order to bring in innocuous items such as laptops and cosmetics.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The administration says that this risk model is too cautious, leading to costly conservatism in reactor design, staffing redundancies and stringency in licensing.—
Katy Huff,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The frustration is in the inflexibility.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The Red Sox could also try to move on from Masataka Yoshida, though his contract, injury history and positional inflexibility will hamper his trade value.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Aristidou utilizes Danae, whose controlling dad suffocates her with his seemingly overbearing rigidness, as a counterpoint to the other extreme of fatherhood.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severity. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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