Severity
/sɪˈvɛrɪti/
Definitions
The quality or state of being severe; intensity; seriousness.
/sɪˈvɛrɪti/
The quality or state of being severe.
The severity of the drought led to water restrictions.
💡 Simply: Severity is like how bad something is. Like, if you have a bad cold, the severity is how sick you feel.
👶 For kids: How bad something is. Like if a boo-boo is really bad, we can say its severity is high.
More Examples
Doctors assess the severity of a patient's condition.
The judge considered the severity of the crime when passing sentence.
How It's Used
"The severity of the illness was determined by the patient's symptoms."
"The severity of the hurricane caused widespread damage."
"The severity of the crime warranted a lengthy prison sentence."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
severity of the situation
Referring to the critical nature of the situation.
"The severity of the situation called for immediate action."
with the utmost severity
Implies the action or measure is being applied in the most rigorous and strict way.
"The school dealt with the problem with the utmost severity."
From Middle English *severite*, from Old French *sevérité*, from Latin *sevēritās* ('strictness, seriousness'), from *sēvērus* ('severe').
The term 'severity' has been used since the late 14th century and reflects the historical understanding of seriousness and intensity.
Memory tip
Think of a 'severe' weather report – the 'severity' is how bad the storm is.
Word Origin
"Strictness, seriousness"