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

Driving in severe winter weather can be difficult, and in very bad conditions you should avoid driving at all unless your journey is absolutely essential.

Read more on BBC

“There’s a pattern here of severe departure from preexisting norms … that are being tossed aside left and right.”

Read more on Salon

Multiple Met Office yellow warnings are in force for snow and ice on Wednesday, with a more severe amber warning also issued for Thursday.

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Sam Bevan, 33, who lives in St Julian's, says he has no recollection of the crash on 11 November which left him with severe concussion and cuts to his face.

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Unfortunately, probably the greatest current threat to giant pandas—and to their reintroduction success—is the severe fragmentation of their habitat.

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Related Words

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