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.
-
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.
After the second World War, Enver Hoxha ushered in a severely isolated and repressive Communist regime.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
The restructuring comes a year after a major cyberattack halted JLR's production in Britain and severely affected its finances.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
The child was born with Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare genetic disorder associated with a severely shortened life expectancy, and had been receiving palliative care since shortly after birth.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
Clancy was severely injured in the fall and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
The final decision to build a new cathedral was made in the year 1252, after lightning struck and severely damaged the old cathedral.
From "Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay
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.
