severity
noun
se·ver·i·ty
sə-ˈver-ə-tē 
: the quality or state of being severe : the condition of being very bad, serious, unpleasant, or harsh
the severity of the climate
the severity of the punishment
Medication can help shorten the illness and lessen its severity.
To make all coastal residents more aware of the severity of the cyclone hazard, and to increase faith and trust in evacuation orders, the emergency personnel must educate them about the benefits of taking refuge in public shelters prior to an approaching cyclone.—
Bimal Kanti Paul
Bimal Kanti PaulA dog, like a human, is prone to two broadly defined types of bone fracture—open and closed. Within each category, breaks of varying severity may occur.—Tom Ewing
Tom EwingExamples of severity in a Sentence
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
Recent Examples on the Web
The consortium has promised to reduce that to 18 months by next year, but even that’s not nearly fast enough given the severity of the transatlantic security crisis.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Read More: How Climate Change Will Affect the Seasons
The firings, which are expected to continue in the coming days, have sparked outrage among experts and lawmakers, who warn that such cuts could severely hamper NOAA's ability to respond to the increasing severity of weather events.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025
Scientists worry that this latest blow, depending on the fire’s severity, could push them over the edge to endangered.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025
Your healthcare provider can also prescribe medication to lessen the severity of COVID or the flu, but the key is to act quickly.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severity
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.
David Axe, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Read More: How Climate Change Will Affect the Seasons
The firings, which are expected to continue in the coming days, have sparked outrage among experts and lawmakers, who warn that such cuts could severely hamper NOAA's ability to respond to the increasing severity of weather events.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025
Scientists worry that this latest blow, depending on the fire’s severity, could push them over the edge to endangered.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025
Your healthcare provider can also prescribe medication to lessen the severity of COVID or the flu, but the key is to act quickly.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for severity
Cite this Entry
“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/severity. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share