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

There should be areas on campus for both, he said, and also “an area for those with severe mental illness that really need case management.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It is definitely still a severe disease in our youngest kids ... whose airways are small and whose immune systems are less mature,” Singh said.

From Los Angeles Times

However, they remained highly effective in preventing severe illness, whereas in unvaccinated people the rates of severe illness and hospitalization remained high.

From Salon

He particularly enjoyed a morality tale about two sisters – one beautiful but "vain and severe", who lost a suitor to her plain, but more agreeable, sibling.

From BBC

Teams that exceed the cap must pay luxury tax penalties that grow increasingly severe.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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