severe
/sɪˈvɪə/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: severer · severest
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Very bad or intense.
Adjective
Examples
In the severer cases of hookworm the patient sometimes has an appetite for soil, paper, hair, clay, chalk, starch, and other unpalatables.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Strict or harsh.
Adjective
Examples
a severe taskmaster
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “severe” mean?
Very bad or intense.
Is “severe” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.