SEVERITY Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

severity

noun

sə-ˈver-ə-tē

Definition of severity

as in hardness

the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism) even though no one expected the film to be a hit with the critics, the director was taken aback by the severity of the criticism

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of severity Much depends on the intensity of the storm, including the severity of flooding and wind damage. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 Prestin levels also didn't rise with the severity of people's symptoms. — Mike McRae 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 Nearly 86 percent of wrists treated with saline hydrodissection had a clinically meaningful improvement in symptom severity at six months. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Payload lessons generate ideas for common vulnerability classes, and another section shows how to chain single findings into higher-severity bugs. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for severity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for severity

Noun

There was real contrast to the elements of Watts’ look, which ultimately took boho-style pieces and juxtaposed them with the hardness of leather material.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
There’s a certain softness to Peter’s eyes and a hardness in Telemachus’s brow.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardness

Noun

Let strictness with yourself earn your right to high expectations of others.

— Brendan Keegan, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Her clever approach looks at a large number of middle schools in Norway, ranking their divergent smartphone policies across a range from strictness to leniency.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of strictness

Noun

The illness is characterized by muscle rigidity in the torso, arms and legs.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
In 1961, however, studies in animals revealed that clozapine acts primarily as a sedative and exerts its effects without inducing muscle rigidity, as previous antipsychotics had.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rigidity

Noun

Pool/Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images Grief, loneliness, and the harshness of Eton’s education put Harry to the test.

— Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026
Reparations are about exercising a radical vision, thinking beyond the harshness of life, and knowing that something better is possible.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026

Definition of harshness

Noun

These rules were enforced with various levels of stringency throughout the week, but several journalists complained of having to argue with security staff in order to bring in innocuous items such as laptops and cosmetics.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
The administration says that this risk model is too cautious, leading to costly conservatism in reactor design, staffing redundancies and stringency in licensing.

— Katy Huff, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026

Definition of stringency

Noun

Frankie wanted to rid himself of rigidness.

— Danielle Paquette The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026
Aristidou utilizes Danae, whose controlling dad suffocates her with his seemingly overbearing rigidness, as a counterpoint to the other extreme of fatherhood.

— Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026

Definition of rigidness

Browse Nearby Words

severing

severity

severs

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“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severity. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of severity

noun

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