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 United States said Wednesday it will delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, a decades-old designation that severely impeded investment, in a new vote of confidence in leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
The intense usage of air-to-air missiles has severely depleted stockpiles for the U.S. and its allies, creating an urgent push to expand global production.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
The collision left the line blocked and services severely disrupted, with the train remaining at the site for over a week.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026
While acknowledging Seedance’s popularity and its U.S. expansion, Amit Jain, chief executive of Luma, said its ceiling in Hollywood is severely limited.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2026
There is absolutely nothing abnormal or surprising about a severely stigmatized group embracing their stigma.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
