1
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the building was severely damaged by the explosion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extremely
to a great degree
the rescued mountain climbers were severely dehydrated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of severely
Such cuts would defund Florida Forever, severely limiting the state’s ability to protect priority conservation lands and undermining administrative and staffing capacity.
—
Susan Carr, Sun Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
Others have been severely neglected or abused or left stranded following their owner’s death.
—Eric Adler
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
Concepcion had the highest rate in this draft class of off-target throws of 15-plus air yards to him as quarterback play severely limited his production at Texas A&M.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Placement on the two entity lists severely restricted Daqo New Energy’s ability to sell its goods to Americans.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 26 Apr. 2026
The price was severely marked down from its initial listing price of $100 million in 2015 and $67 million in 2017.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
In 1983, the group’s headquarters was severely damaged in an arson attack.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Other friendships have broken down because of illness, as in the case of a college buddy whose circumstances severely reduce our interaction.
—David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Both Jaabis and the Israeli officer, Moshe Chen, were severely burned during the terror attack.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Susan Carr, Sun Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026
Others have been severely neglected or abused or left stranded following their owner’s death.
—Eric Adler
april 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
Concepcion had the highest rate in this draft class of off-target throws of 15-plus air yards to him as quarterback play severely limited his production at Texas A&M.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Placement on the two entity lists severely restricted Daqo New Energy’s ability to sell its goods to Americans.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 26 Apr. 2026
The price was severely marked down from its initial listing price of $100 million in 2015 and $67 million in 2017.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
In 1983, the group’s headquarters was severely damaged in an arson attack.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Other friendships have broken down because of illness, as in the case of a college buddy whose circumstances severely reduce our interaction.
—David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Both Jaabis and the Israeli officer, Moshe Chen, were severely burned during the terror attack.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for severely
Adverb
-
After Talley’s initial court hearing Monday, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza were among several officials who harshly criticized the passage of the SAFE-T Act and Lyke’s decision to grant Talley pretrial release.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Again, Gulutzan was reluctant to criticize his team too harshly given how close the series has been.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
These special releases can be extremely valuable, especially if only a small batch is issued.—
Nina Derwin,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The innermost region of any solar system, closest to the parent star, will be extremely hot and subject to large amounts of radiation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The only way Simpson is pressed into starting duty is if something goes terribly wrong with Stafford.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Suzuki’s early struggles aren’t terribly alarming.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The 2021 army takeover triggered massive public resistance that was brutally suppressed, triggering a bloody civil war that has killed thousands of people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Even before the war began, hardship and inflation provoked nationwide protests that were brutally repressed.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
And yes, in 2026, rage coming from either side of the aisle is an incredibly powerful tool for marketing.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But there’s something incredibly unnatural about the fast attention of the internet.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Aerate compacted and hard-to-wet lawns.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
King Charles' younger sister is known for her tireless drive for royal duty, often ranked among the royal family's hardest-working members by count of official engagements recorded in The Court Circular.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In December, his newspaper The Washington Post, against the wishes of staffers, launched an AI podcast feature that badly regurgitates its articles, with predictably disastrous results.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The badly decomposed remains of a woman were found Wednesday evening in a dumpster near an Oakland freeway offramp, authorities said.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Severely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/severely. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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