severely
Americanadverb
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in a very stern, strict, or harsh way.
One day he was caught taking a few pieces of scrap wood and was severely punished with two weeks of hard labor.
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to a grave, far-reaching, or critical degree; seriously.
Severely ill patients with kidney infections may be hospitalized until they can take fluids and medications on their own.
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in a very simple, plain, or austere style or manner.
She wore her hair severely tied back in a ponytail and refused to wear anything feminine.
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in a very challenging or exacting way that is difficult to endure.
The Great Depression severely tested the parish, as the church building was almost lost to creditors.
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to a distressing or highly uncomfortable degree.
Much of North America experiences periods of severely cold weather and is susceptible to snow and ice storms.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of severely
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The bureau is working with a severely reduced budget — about $190 million compared with over $500 million in 2024.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
Following the 2002–2011 politico-military crisis that severely weakened its economy, Ivory Coast has regained stability, with growth regularly above six percent, making it among the drivers of West Africa.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
The conflict has severely disrupted flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which used to carry around 20% of global liquefied natural gas flows, while Iranian attacks have wiped out 17% of Qatar’s LNG export capacity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
She says it will severely limit the team's ability to create new content for The Elder Scrolls Online - a game that relies on regular updates to keep players engaged.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The authors were quick to point out, however, that “Fischer was not a strong enough favorite to be severely harmed by the draw collusion in the notorious Candidates Tournament in Curaçao, 1962.”
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
