1
as in harsh
given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint
a severe, uncompromising teacher who locked the classroom door precisely when the bell rang and let no one in afterward
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fierce
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
clergymen who dressed in severe clothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in serious
not joking or playful in mood or manner
the judge maintained a severe expression throughout the trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in tough
difficult to endure
a severe winter that was among the coldest on record
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5
as in difficult
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
a severe test of courage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severe
For those who were recently diagnosed and are having less severe motor symptoms, Fernandez suggested that a once-daily dose of tavapadon could potentially replace the three-times-a-day dosing of levodopa.
—
Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
According to the public health specialist, several high school students who lived in the same area had contracted the infection — and were suffering severe side effects.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Large to very large hail and severe wind gusts should be the main hazards, especially across the southern Plains where storms will be more concentrated.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
School closures abound As severe weather persisted, school districts in multiple states opted to cancel classes for the day.
—John Bacon, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
According to the public health specialist, several high school students who lived in the same area had contracted the infection — and were suffering severe side effects.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Large to very large hail and severe wind gusts should be the main hazards, especially across the southern Plains where storms will be more concentrated.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
School closures abound As severe weather persisted, school districts in multiple states opted to cancel classes for the day.
—John Bacon, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severe
Adjective
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Hope reigns even in this harsh political climate we Americans are now experiencing.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Even if investors are slightly more confident this week, after Trump backed off most of his harshest tariff rates, the changes in people’s life-style habits serve as their own kind of affective barometer.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Melania Trump has courted controversy, garnered attention for her fashion Trump's fashion choices are the subject of fierce controversy and constant attention.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
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Seven new projects debut on the 15-spot roster, making competition surprisingly fierce.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Could this cause some serious anxiety, or even an existential crisis?—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2025
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The Mets’ prospects with experience in center field need more time in the minors before they can be considered serious options.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Four times, he’s used it to strikeout hitters, with the horizontal break being tough to pick up.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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However, the emotional side of living with the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be just as tough.—
Caitlin Carlson,
SELF,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament takes place each April, has a strict no cell phone and cameras rule during the four days of official competition.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
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So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine.—
Erica Sweeney,
SELF,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The actor behind the gruff but lovable Roy Kent shared a purrfectly eccentric analogy about the show's return on a recent episode of NPR's Wild Card podcast.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Bowling paints with the rhythm of a gruff intellectual.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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President Trump Makes His Entrance At Pope Francis' Funeral By Emma Marsden Freelance News Reporter Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 7 Pope Francis' funeral took place in a solemn ceremony at the Vatican on Saturday, drawing hundreds of thousands of mourners from around the world.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
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And when public figures die, the resulting rituals can sit awkwardly between a solemn, respectful wake and a chance to personally capture a moment in history.—
Issy Ronald and Lauren Said-Moorhouse,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Severe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severe. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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