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severe - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'severe' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Severe [ superl.]
- Serious in feeeling or manner; sedate; grave; austere; not light, lively, or cheerful.
- Very strict in judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as, severe criticism; severe punishment.
- Rigidly methodical, or adherent to rule or principle; exactly conformed to a standard; not allowing or employing unneccessary ornament, amplification, etc.; strict; -- said of style, argument, etc.
- Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; extreme; as, severe pain, anguish, fortune; severe cold.
- Difficult to be endured; exact; critical; rigorous; as, a severe test.

Meaning of 'severe' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . severe [ s]
Meaning (1):
- causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
Example in sentence:
  • a dangerous operation;
  • a grave illness;
  • a grave situation;
  • a life-threatening disease;
  • a serious turn of events;
  • a serious wound;
  • a severe case of pneumonia;
  • grievous bodily harm
Meaning (2):
- very strong or vigorous
Example in sentence:
  • a hard left to the chin;
  • a knockout punch;
  • a severe blow;
  • strong winds
Meaning (3):
- unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment
Example in sentence:
  • a hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien;
  • a parent severe to the pitch of hostility;
  • a Spartan upbringing;
  • a strict disciplinarian
Meaning (4):
- intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
Example in sentence:
  • a severe case of flu;
  • a terrible cough;
  • a wicked cough;
  • severe pain;
  • under wicked fire from the enemy's guns
Meaning (5):
- very bad in degree or extent
Example in sentence:
  • a severe worldwide depression;
  • the house suffered severe damage
Meaning (6):
- severely simple
Example in sentence:
  • a stark interior

Nearby Words:

seven seven-shooter seven-thirties seven-up sevenfold sevennight sevenscore seventeen seventeenth seventh

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