severe

Speech parts

1. severe - Adjective

3. severe - Adjective Satellite

4. Severe - Proper noun

Meaning

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.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

stern hard serious grave harsh rigorous extreme intense strict brutal austere spartan heavy stark critical
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Antonyms

royal clement merry signor buster esquire
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Phrases with the word

severe drought severe poverty severe check especially severe extremely severe severe neurodeficit

Anagrams

everse Reeves servee seever

Examples

If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. Niccolò Machiavelli

Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of face within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity. Calvin Coolidge

The breaking wave and the muscle as it contracts obey the same law. Delicate line gathers the body's total strength in a bold balance. Shall my soul meet so severe a curve, journeying on its way to form? Dag Hammarskjöld

The pardon may be more severe than the penalty. Norwegian Proverb

He who starts his work early enough is neither hit by the severe sun heat nor the burning sand. African Proverb

Justice is exercised in the proper prevention, rather than in the severe punishment, of crime. Latin Proverb

Close letter words and terms

severance tax severation severaunce severe abuses severe acute respiratory syndrome severe anaemia