Severely — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb /sə-ˈvir/ se·vere

Meaning & Definition of Severely

Severely (adjective)

  1. strict in judgment, discipline, or government
  2. of a strict or stern bearing or manner, austere
  3. rigorous in restraint, punishment, or requirement, stringent

Severely (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering

    "the building was severely damaged by the explosion"

    similar: brutally, hard, hardly, harshly, ill, oppressively, roughly, sternly, stiffly
    related: callously, cold-bloodedly, hard-heartedly, heartlessly, inhumanely, inhumanly, insensately, insensitively, mercilessly, obdurately, pitilessly, ruthlessly, tyrannically, uncharitably, unfeelingly, unmercifully, unsparingly, abusively, brutishly, savagely, viciously, aggressively, assertively, decidedly, determinedly, firmly, grimly, gruffly, resolutely, strongly, toughly
    opposite: clemently, gently, leniently, lightly, mildly, softly
    near: benevolently, benignantly, considerately, cordially, graciously, kindly, lovingly, tenderly, charitably, compassionately, humanely, mercifully, softheartedly, sympathetically, tolerantly, understandingly

  2. to a great degree

    "the rescued mountain climbers were severely dehydrated"

    similar: achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly, extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous (chiefly dialect), mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, very, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly, a lot, as all get-out, good and
    related: absolutely, altogether, completely, downright, entirely, flat-out, fully, positively, purely, radically, thoroughly, totally, utterly, wholly, deeply, profoundly, exceptionally, notably, remarkably, considerably, extensively, significantly, substantially, appreciably, discernibly, markedly, noticeably, obviously, palpably, plainly, visibly, abundantly, plentifully, astronomically, grandly, monstrously, monumentally, excessively, obscenely, overmuch, amazingly, astonishingly, staggeringly
    opposite: little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
    near: meagerly, scantily, barely, hardly, just, marginally, minimally, scarcely

Related Entry: Severe (adjective)

Severe is a different word from Severely. The synonyms below are for severe, not for severely.

  1. 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"

    similar: austere, authoritarian, flinty, hard, harsh, heavy-handed, ramrod, rigid, rigorous, stern, strict, tough
    related: demanding, exacting, uncharitable, unforgiving, adamant, adamantine, callous, hardened, hard-hearted, hard-line, immovable, implacable, inflexible, merciless, ossified, pitiless, relentless, rock-ribbed, stiff, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unsparing, unyielding, dour, gruff, ascetic, monastic, monkish, browbeating, bullying, determined, firm, resolved, single-minded, steadfast, unflinching, dogged, intractable, obstinate
    opposite: clement, forbearing, gentle, indulgent, lax, lenient, tolerant
    near: easy, easygoing, laid-back, undemanding, charitable, kind, merciful, mild, patient, soft, softhearted, accepting, compromising, yielding, responsive, willing, acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, complaisant, compliant, flexible, pliable, pliant

  2. harsh and threatening in manner or appearance

    "clergymen who dressed in severe clothing"

    similar: austere, dour, fierce, flinty, forbidding, grim, gruff, intimidating, lowering, rough, rugged, stark, steely, stern, ungentle
    related: bleak, cold, hostile, inhospitable, inimical, unfriendly, unsympathetic, adamant, bound, determined, firm, intent, purposeful, resolute, resolved, steadfast, unflinching, fixed, hard, hardened, hardheaded, immovable, implacable, inflexible, ironhanded, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, rigid, self-willed, set, stiff, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful, immutable, unchangeable, black, cheerless, dark, gloomy, glum, joyless, melancholic, moody, morose, sulky, sullen, surly, brooding, grave, humorless, melancholy, serious, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling, weighty
    opposite: benign, benignant, gentle, mild, nonintimidating, tender
    near: bland, meek, mellow, soft, soothing, easy, quiet, tranquil, agreeable, bright, cheerful, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, sweet, glad, happy, lighthearted, merry, mirthful, sunny, featherbrained, flighty, frivolous, giddy, goofy, harebrained, light-headed, playful, scatterbrained, silly

  3. not joking or playful in mood or manner

    "the judge maintained a severe expression throughout the trial"

    similar: earnest, grave, humorless, no-nonsense, po-faced (British), sedate, serious, sober, sobersided, solemn, staid, uncomic, unsmiling, weighty
    related: harsh, stern, strict, businesslike, professional, dignified, distinguished, elevated, serious-minded, gloomy, grim
    opposite: facetious, flip, flippant, humorous, jesting, jocular, joking, kittenish, ludic, playful
    near: antic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, hysterical, laughable, light, light-headed, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, screaming, sidesplitting, uproarious, featherbrained, flighty, frivolous, goofy, harebrained, lighthearted, puerile, scatterbrained, absurd, asinine, balmy, brainless, cockeyed, crazy, cuckoo, daffy, daft, dotty, fatuous, foolish, half-witted, insane, jerky, kooky, loony, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, sappy, screwball, senseless, silly, unwise, wacky, weak-minded, witless, zany

  4. difficult to endure

    "a severe winter that was among the coldest on record"

    similar: bitter, brutal, burdensome, cruel, excruciating, grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, harsh, heavy, inhuman, murderous, onerous, oppressive, rough, rugged, searing, stiff, tough, trying
    related: austere, bleak, comfortless, discomforting, forbidding, inhospitable, spartan, uncomfortable, biting, inclement, intemperate, wild, rigorous, strict, stringent, agonizing, heartbreaking, heartrending, painful, wretched, crushing, grinding, overwhelming, wearing, insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, harrowing, tortuous, bad, disagreeable, hostile, unfriendly, unpleasant
    opposite: easy, light, soft
    near: comfortable, cozy, luxurious, snug, agreeable, friendly, genial, hospitable, pleasant, peaceful, relaxing, reposeful, restful, bearable, endurable, painless, tolerable, balmy, calm, clement, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate

  5. requiring considerable physical or mental effort

    "a severe test of courage"

    similar: arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling, hard, heavy, hellacious, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, pick-and-shovel, rigorous, rough, rugged, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill
    related: abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic, recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky, bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying, annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious, grievous, grim, strict, stringent, brutal, cruel, inhuman, painful
    opposite: cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding
    near: achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated, comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing, accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Severely

The most common words with a similar meaning to Severely:

Chiefly dialect: monstrous
brutally, hard, hardly, harshly, ill, oppressively, roughly, sternly, stiffly, achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly, extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Severely

Words with the opposite meaning of Severely:

clemently, gently, leniently, lightly, mildly, softly, little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat

Related Words for Severely

callously, cold-bloodedly, hard-heartedly, heartlessly, inhumanely, inhumanly, insensately, insensitively, mercilessly, obdurately, pitilessly, ruthlessly, tyrannically, uncharitably, unfeelingly, unmercifully, unsparingly, abusively, brutishly, savagely, viciously, aggressively, assertively, decidedly, determinedly, firmly, grimly, gruffly, resolutely, strongly

Near Antonyms of Severely

benevolently, benignantly, considerately, cordially, graciously, kindly, lovingly, tenderly, charitably, compassionately, humanely, mercifully, softheartedly, sympathetically, tolerantly, understandingly, meagerly, scantily, barely, hardly, just, marginally, minimally, scarcely

Word Forms of Severely

Inflections: severer, severest

Derived words: severely (adverb), severeness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Severely

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin severus

First known use: 1548

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Severely

Frequently Asked Questions about Severely

What does "Severely" mean?

"Severely" means strict in judgment, discipline, or government. As an an adjective and an adverb, it is defined as: strict in judgment, discipline, or government. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Severely"?

Other words for "Severely" include brutally, hard, hardly, harshly, ill, oppressively, roughly and sternly. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Severely" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Severely"?

There are 164 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Severely". Common alternatives include brutally, hard, hardly, harshly, ill, oppressively, roughly, sternly, stiffly and achingly.

What is the opposite of "Severely"?

Antonyms of "Severely" include clemently, gently, leniently, lightly, mildly, softly, little and negligibly. Near antonyms include benevolently, benignantly, considerately and cordially.

How do you use "Severely" in a sentence?

Examples of "Severely" in a sentence: "the building was severely damaged by the explosion"; "the rescued mountain climbers were severely dehydrated".

Is "Severely" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Severely" can be used as an adjective and an adverb, depending on the context.

Is "Severely" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Severely" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Severely"?

"Severely" is pronounced /sə-ˈvir/ and divided into syllables as se·vere.