severe

[suh-veer]

adjective

severer, severest 

1. harsh; unnecessarily extreme.

   severe criticism; severe laws.

   Antonyms: tolerant, lax, lenient

2. serious or stern in manner or appearance.

   a severe face.

   Synonyms: grim, forbidding, dour, austere, austere, punitive, draconian, rigorous, rigid, heavy-handed, strict
   Antonyms: temperate, mild, benign, gentle

3. threatening a seriously bad outcome or involving serious issues; grave.

   a severe illness.

4. rigidly restrained in style, taste, manner, etc.; simple, plain, or austere.

   Synonyms: stark, serious, spartan

5. causing discomfort or distress by extreme character or conditions, as weather, cold, or heat; unpleasantly violent, as rain or wind, or a blow or shock.

6. difficult to endure, perform, fulfill, etc..

   a severe test of his powers.

7. rigidly exact, accurate, or methodical.

   severe standards.

   Synonyms: exacting, demanding
   Antonyms: facile, effortless, easy

severe

/ sɪˈvɪə, sɪˈvɛrɪtɪ /

adjective

1. rigorous or harsh in the treatment of others; strict

   a severe parent

2. serious in appearance or manner; stern

3. critical or dangerous

   a severe illness

4. causing misery or discomfort by its harshness

   severe weather

5. strictly restrained in appearance; austere

   a severe way of dressing

6. hard to endure, perform, or accomplish

   a severe test

7. rigidly precise or exact

Other Word Forms

• severely adverb
• severeness noun
• oversevere adjective
• oversevereness noun
• supersevere adjective
• supersevereness noun
• unsevere adjective
• unsevereness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of severe¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin sevērus, or back formation from severity

Word History and Origins

Origin of severe¹

C16: from Latin sevērus

Synonym Study

See stern ¹.

Example Sentences

Tole’s civil lawsuit, filed Monday in Marion County Superior Court, alleges that he suffered “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function, other physical injuries, emotional distress, and other damages” as a result of Sanchez’s actions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This resulted in severe stress and anxiety that led her to need a six-week medical leave, according to the lawsuit.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A total of 580 hikers who were trapped by severe weather near Mount Everest have been guided to safety in Tibet, according to Chinese state media.

Read more on BBC

Workshops involving DJ Fatboy Slim which have been helping people with severe mental health problems are to continue for at least a year.

Read more on BBC

But it means many people with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illneses, asthma and severe mental illness will no longer qualify.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• acute 
• bitter 
• dangerous 
• drastic 
• extreme 
• fierce 
• heavy 
• intense 
• punishing 
• serious 
• sharp 
• tough 
• violent