extreme

American  

[ik-streem] / ɪkˈstrim /

adjective

extremer, extremest

1. of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average.

   extreme measures.

2. utmost or exceedingly great in degree.

   extreme joy.

   Synonyms:

   superlative

3. farthest from the center or middle; outermost; endmost.

   the extreme limits of a town.

   Synonyms:

   uttermost, last, ultimate

4. farthest, utmost, or very far in any direction.

   an object at the extreme point of vision.

5. exceeding the bounds of moderation.

   extreme fashions.

6. going to the utmost or very great lengths in action, habit, opinion, etc..

   an extreme conservative.

   Synonyms:

   unreasonable, uncompromising, fanatical, excessive, immoderate, extravagant

   Antonyms:

   moderate

7. last or final.

   extreme hopes.

8. Chiefly Sports. very dangerous or difficult.

   extreme skiing.

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noun

• extremes
  plural

1. the utmost or highest degree, or a very high degree.

   cautious to an extreme.

2. one of two things as remote or different from each other as possible.

   the extremes of joy and grief.

3. the furthest or utmost length; an excessive length, beyond the ordinary or average.

   extremes in dress.

4. an extreme act, measure, condition, etc..

   the extreme of poverty.

5. Mathematics.

   1. the first or the last term, as of a proportion or series.

   2. a relative maximum or relative minimum value of a function in a given region.

6. Logic. the subject or the predicate of the conclusion of a syllogism; either of two terms that are separated in the premises and brought together in the conclusion.

7. Archaic. the utmost point, or extremity, of something.

extreme British  

/ ɪkˈstriːm /

adjective

1. being of a high or of the highest degree or intensity

   extreme cold

   extreme difficulty

2. exceeding what is usual or reasonable; immoderate

   extreme behaviour

3. very strict, rigid, or severe; drastic

   an extreme measure

4. (prenominal) farthest or outermost in direction

   the extreme boundary

5. meteorol of, relating to, or characteristic of a continental climate

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noun

1. the highest or furthest degree (often in the phrases in the extreme, go to extremes )

2. (often plural) either of the two limits or ends of a scale or range of possibilities

   extremes of temperature

3. maths

   1. the first or last term of a series or a proportion

   2. a maximum or minimum value of a function

4. logic the subject or predicate of the conclusion of a syllogism

Synonym Usage

See radical.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• extremeness
  noun
• superextremeness
  noun
• overextreme
  adjective
• quasi-extreme
  adjective
• superextreme
  adjective
• unextreme
  adjective
• superextremely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• extremes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of extreme

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin extrēmus “most outward,” superlative of exterus “outward”; see exterior

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Explanation

Something extreme is far out, either in terms of distance or intensity. Extreme sports are wild or dangerous, and an extreme height is very high. When you talk about extreme things, you're talking about things that are very, very...something. An extreme point is the farthest distance from a place. Extreme eating is a type of contest — like hot dog-eating — in which people eat a freakish amount of food to compete with each other. An extreme biker is biking down dangerously steep mountain sides. Anything extreme is pushing the limits and taking things about as far as they can go.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extreme extremes extremer extremest

He shares concern over the ill-informed framing of Native people as responsible for extreme water use in the state.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

“I’m right in the center, not on the extreme left or right—I vote for whoever is good for the country,” Mehmood said.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026

Arnott pointed out that the distance between valuations of U.S. large-cap growth stocks and small-cap value stocks is at an extreme not seen even during the dot-com bubble.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

It comes as a new report from the UK's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said the wildfires left firefighters working in extreme conditions and exposed weaknesses in the UK's resilience and preparation.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

The emotions were normal in context; it was their extreme range that was abnormal.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Higher prices caused by weather extremes are getting “more frequent … and extreme,” said Barchart’s Newsom.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

Mr. De los Santos directed with economy and precision, capturing the physical essence of these relationships—as when Macaria and Pina playfully acted out the extremes of telenovela emoting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

OpenAI's agents seem to feature quite prominently in the current roll call of AI products taking their remits to extremes.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Such weather extremes may have caused queens to abandon their nests or die, reducing the initial spring queen bounty to a more modest population.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Fayu bands and modern states represent opposite extremes along the spectrum of human societies.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Like them, his revolt against Romanism took an extremer form than Lutheranism, and after a temporary residence in Switzerland and at Strassburg, he arrived in England soon after Elizabeth's accession.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

He was like his father, the old laird, but there glowed an extremer dark anger and power.

From Foes by Mary Johnston

A prominent King's man, nay, a Queen's man, which was held to be something extremer, he played, however, an individual part in the struggle.

From The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened by Anne MacDonell

Theosophy in its extremer forms it cannot absorb at all.

From Modern Religious Cults and Movements by Gaius Glenn Atkins

As the necessity for severity decreases, severity even in social disapproval must lessen; as the individual comes to yield more readily and promptly to a slight spur, extremer methods will be discarded.

From A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of Evolution by C. M. Williams

The printing press, praised by Martin Luther as “God’s highest and extremest act of Grace,” led to the Reformation, the Counter-Reformation — and a century of bloody religious wars.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 20, 2016

Now even the extremest obscenities have lost their power to shock.

From The Guardian ● May 23, 2013

The President-elect said he hoped the ceremony would be "one of the extremest in simplicity that we have ever had."

From Time Magazine Archive

“There will never be such a thing in my house,” said Wang Lung, in extremest horror.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

While it is easy to acknowledge that the perfect thoroughbred excels all other horses, the fact must also be noted that he is of extremest rarity, and even when found is infrequently up to weight.

From Patroclus and Penelope A Chat in the Saddle by Theodore Ayrault Dodge

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Related Words

• absolute
• dire
• drastic
• egregious
• exaggerated
• exceptional
• excessive
• extraordinary
• harsh
• irrational
• outrageous
• radical
• remarkable
• severe
• sheer
• unreasonable
• unusual
• utter

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