Severe Definition & Meaning

American

British

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms severe American [suh-veer] / səˈvɪər /

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 British / 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See stern 1.

Other Word Forms

• oversevere adjective
• oversevereness noun
• severely adverb
• severeness noun
• supersevere adjective
• supersevereness noun
• unsevere adjective
• unsevereness noun

Etymology

Origin of severe

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin sevērus, or back formation from severity

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.

Suspected attacks on northern Italy's railway network have led to severe travel disruption in the region, the authorities say, as thousands gathered for the start of the Winter Olympic Games.

From BBC

Bernal broke into the first team at the start of last season but a severe knee injury in August 2024 kept him out for around a year and delayed his progress.

From Barron's

The trial focuses on allegations that a 20-year-old woman identified by the initials K.G.M. suffered severe mental harm because she became addicted to social media as a child.

From Barron's

And like many other Alpine skiers, Vonn has suffered more severe injuries than she can count.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it also led to hundreds of brands crowding the market and severe price competition, with many companies unprofitable.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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

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.