severity

American  

[suh-ver-i-tee] / səˈvɛr ɪ ti /

noun

• severities
  plural

1. harshness, sternness, or rigor.

   Their lives were marked by severity.

2. austere simplicity, as of style, manner, or taste.

   The severity of the decor was striking.

3. intensity or sharpness, as of cold or pain.

4. grievousness; hard or trying character or effect.

   The severity of his loss was finally becoming apparent.

5. rigid exactness or accuracy.

6. an instance of strict or severe behavior, punishment, etc.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonseverity
  noun
• overseverity
  noun
• superseverity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• severities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of severity

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin sevēritās, from sevēr(us) severe + -itās -ity

Explanation

Severity is a plain, no-frills hardness––or the degree of hardness. You might talk about the severity of the northern winter, or the severity of your grandfather's discipline. Severity, with its root in severe, has several nuances. It can mean a hardship, like war’s severity. It also refers to an extreme plainness. Think of the severity of Amish life: no phones, cars, or other modern technology. And you might use it to describe your math teacher’s manner: his severity is indicated by his short, clipped sentences, angry stare, and propensity to fail students without mercy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

severity severities

The system also gives each sound a “pointer,” using changes in pitch, harmony and texture to signal whether blood pressure is high or low, as well as the severity of the problem.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The severity of the incident was uncovered by an audit from the Fed’s internal watchdog office, which published a report about the incident Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Scientists say speed and severity of the Kent outbreak was very unusual.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Eventually, MS can cause permanent damage to the nerve fibers, and symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the location and severity of the damage in the nervous system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

“I believe we have all heard enough,” the taller of the two priests said with quiet severity.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

In 2023 speed contributed to 888 fatalities, and more than 39,000 collisions of all severities.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2025

Tailoring these materials could offer personalized solutions for various muscle loss severities.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2024

“Now, high general inflation and ever higher increases in used and new car prices clearly drive up claims costs for insurers, given that claims frequencies and severities are returning to normal.”

From Washington Times ● Feb. 28, 2022

In an untreated forest, what some might see as fuel, others “see as incredible habitat for wildlife because it’s a mosaic of different burn severities that is extraordinarily biodiverse.”

From New York Times ● Jan. 5, 2022

He knew about as much as was known about the anatomy of the brain and the symptoms and severities of lesion and thrombus.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• harshness