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 EwingSynonyms
Examples 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
Deputies stated the male victim was unable to speak with them at that time due to the severity of his injuries and he was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 14 May 2024
The child was airlifted to a hospital in Fargo but died due to the severity of their injuries, according to the news release.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2024
This condition is characterized by difficulty in breathing, fatigue, and many other symptoms that range in severity, seriously impacting quality of life.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
Related officials explained to the Herald that the issue arose because of a soda bottle stuck in a pipe and took a while to resolve because of the severity of the damage.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 12 May 2024
Paramedics took the victim to a hospital for treatment of burns of undisclosed severity.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
Make housing more climate-resilient Less than a third of building codes factor in the frequency and severity of today’s natural hazards.
—Priscilla Almodovar, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In general, the caloric needs of a child with cystic fibrosis depend on their age, weight, severity of disease and other factors, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 May 2024
Disease severity is not taken into account in traditional cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA).
—Jason Shafrin, STAT, 6 May 2024
Stepheny Price, Fox News, 14 May 2024
The child was airlifted to a hospital in Fargo but died due to the severity of their injuries, according to the news release.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2024
This condition is characterized by difficulty in breathing, fatigue, and many other symptoms that range in severity, seriously impacting quality of life.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024
Related officials explained to the Herald that the issue arose because of a soda bottle stuck in a pipe and took a while to resolve because of the severity of the damage.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 12 May 2024
Paramedics took the victim to a hospital for treatment of burns of undisclosed severity.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
Make housing more climate-resilient Less than a third of building codes factor in the frequency and severity of today’s natural hazards.
—Priscilla Almodovar, Fortune, 8 May 2024
In general, the caloric needs of a child with cystic fibrosis depend on their age, weight, severity of disease and other factors, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 May 2024
Disease severity is not taken into account in traditional cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA).
—Jason Shafrin, STAT, 6 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'severity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near severity
Cite this Entry
“Severity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/severity. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
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