What does severe mean?
Severe is an adjective meaning very serious, intense, harsh, or difficult to deal with. It describes conditions that are markedly more serious than ordinary ones: a severe injury, severe weather, severe pain, or severe consequences. The word is especially common in formal reporting, medicine, law, and public safety, but it also occurs naturally in everyday conversation. Its force comes from the impression of extremity: a severe problem is not merely troublesome but substantial, urgent, or painful. Severe can describe physical conditions, such as illness or weather, and social or institutional matters, such as criticism, penalties, or consequences. It can also characterize a person’s manner as strict or forbidding, although that use is less common today. Compared with serious, severe often suggests greater intensity or severity; compared with harsh, it can focus on seriousness rather than cruelty or severity of treatment. The word is understood in both British and American English.
adjectiveHaving an intensity, seriousness, or harshness that is extreme and difficult to deal with; very serious.
- Very serious, extreme, or difficult to deal with
- Harsh or strict in manner or treatment
- Acute and distressing, especially of pain or symptoms
- Extremely damaging or dangerous, especially of weather
"The storm caused severe damage across several coastal towns."
"The patient was admitted to hospital with severe abdominal pain."
"The new policy was met with severe criticism from local businesses."
From the Latin severus, meaning “stern” or “strict,” severe still carries the idea of intensity that is hard to ignore.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does severe come from?
The English word severe was borrowed in the late 16th century from Old French sever, which came from Latin severus, meaning “stern,” “strict,” or “serious.” Latin severus developed in the sense of rigorous or exacting and influenced the modern English family of forms, including severity and severely. English also has sever and severance, related forms derived through the Latin vocabulary of separation and strictness.
Related word forms
How severe is actually used
Severe is common in formal and everyday English. It often conveys a degree of intensity considerably beyond ordinary or mild conditions; in medical contexts, it describes particularly serious symptoms, while in descriptions of weather it means exceptionally harsh or dangerous.
Easily confused with severe
Severe means extremely serious or intense, whereas several means more than two but not many.