Synonyms for severity
səˈvɛr ɪ tisever·i·ty

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. severity

   Acerbity is a sharpness, with a touch of bitterness, which may arise from momentary annoyance or habitual impatience; asperity is keener and more pronounced, denoting distinct irritation or vexation; in speech asperity is often manifested by the tone of voice rather than by the words that are spoken. Acrimony in speech or temper is like a corrosive acid; it springs from settled character or deeply rooted feeling of aversion or unkindness. One might speak with momentary asperity to his child, but not with acrimony, unless estrangement had begun. Malignity is the extreme of settled ill intent; virulence is an envenomed hostility. Virulence of speech is a quality in language that makes the language seem as if exuding poison. Virulence is outspoken; malignity may be covered with smooth and courteous phrase. We say intense virulence, deep malignity. Severity is always painful, and may be terrible, but carries ordinarily the implication, true or false, of justice. Compare ANGER; BITTER; ENMITY.

   Synonyms:
   acerbity, acrimony, asperity, bitterness, causticity, harshness, malignity, moroseness, sharpness, sourness, tartness, unkindness, virulence

   Antonyms:
   amiability, courtesy, gentleness, good nature, kindness, mildness, smoothness, sweetness

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. badness, severity, severenessnoun

   used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather

   Synonyms:
   hardship, severeness, rigor, naughtiness, austereness, harshness, hardness, asperity, stiffness, bad, inclemency, badness, rigorousness, mischievousness, grimness, rigourousness, rigour

2. asperity, grimness, hardship, rigor, rigour, severity, severeness, rigorousness, rigourousnessnoun

   something hard to endure

   "the asperity of northern winters"

   Synonyms:
   hardness, cogency, hard knocks, severeness, rigor, austereness, harshness, gruesomeness, asperity, luridness, rigour, stiffness, inclemency, badness, adversity, hardship, rigorousness, sharpness, grimness, rigourousness, ghastliness, validity

3. austereness, severity, severenessnoun

   extreme plainness

   Synonyms:
   harshness, rigour, rigourousness, severeness, hardship, badness, grimness, austereness, asperity, inclemency, rigorousness, hardness, rigor, stiffness

4. severity, severeness, harshness, rigor, rigour, rigorousness, rigourousness, inclemency, hardness, stiffnessnoun

   excessive sternness

   "severity of character"; "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"; "the rigors of boot camp"

   Synonyms:
   insensibility, ruggedness, callosity, grimness, awkwardness, severeness, rigor, unfeelingness, austereness, harshness, hardness, asperity, stiffness, callousness, scratchiness, roughness, cogency, gracelessness, inclemency, inclementness, badness, bad weather, hardship, rigorousness, cruelty, cruelness, clumsiness, abrasiveness, rigourousness, rigour, validity

Matched Categories

1. • Difficulty
   • Intensity
   • Plainness

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   sternness, harshness, rigor, austerity, acrimony

2. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   strictness, exactness, accuracy

3. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   simplicity, plainness, conciseness

4. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   sharpness, keenness, causticity

5. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   extremity, afflictiveness, violence

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. severitynoun

   Synonyms:
   rigor, rigorousness, harshness, exactness, cruelty, seriousness, gravity, violence, intensity, acuteness, austerity, simplicity, plainness, exactness, strictness, preciseness

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "severity":

   gravity, seriousness, intensity, harshness, rigour, stringency, strictness, acuteness, magnitude, rigor, acuity

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How to use severity in a sentence?

1. Daniel Kass:

   Depending on the initial level of severity, we’ve been able to have very significant effects, the biggest challenge is always managing the sources of food for rats.

2. Zack Labe:

   As a climate scientist, I am particularly alarmed at how extreme heatwaves, such as the one which impacted the Pacific Northwest this summer, are projected to become more common in the future, but right now we have a big opportunity. We can help reduce the severity and frequency of future extreme heatwaves( and overall climate change) by systematically reducing our consumption of fossil fuels.

3. Angel Garcia:

   A lot of people don't know the severity of what's going on. People are tearing down their fences to burn.

4. Steven Runciman:

   Faced by the mountainous heap of the minutiae of knowledge and awed by the watchful severity of his colleagues, the modern historian too often takes refuge in learned articles or narrowly specialized dissertations, small fortresses that are easy to defend from attack.

5. Steven Clark:

   The severity of the crime is a factor… and I'm sure a prosecutor would argue that that is someone who is dangerous to the community shouldn't be released, but you also have to say the flip side to this which is that you are accused of a crime that you presumed to be innocent of, you could spend years fighting your case and you're found not guilty. Where's the justice in that?