Synonyms

severely

American

[suh-veer-lee] / səˈvɪər li /

adverb

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.
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.
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.
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.
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

severe ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Severely ill Palestinians have been evacuated from Gaza to other countries since the start of the war, including more than180 adults and children to Italy.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

Severely weakened, he took just three shots and finished with five points in 18 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2024

Severely restricting your spending for a short period can help you reset going forward, she adds.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 22, 2024

Severely wounded, Ms. Leutner crawled out of the woods and was found by a cyclist.

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2024

Severely reprimanded, Isuké opened his eyes in astonishment.

From The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 1 (of 2) by De Benneville, James S. (James Seguin)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023