How to Use severe in a Sentence

severe

adjective
  • The storm caused severe damage to the roof.
  • The patient is in severe pain.
  • The war was a severe test of his leadership.
  • In the most severe cases, the disease can lead to blindness.
  • He faces severe penalties for his actions.
  • He suffered a severe head injury.
  • The rain shouldn’t be severe but could be heavy at times.
    — Jennifer Gray, CNN, 26 Oct. 2022
  • More severe weather is in store for this week in the Heartland and the Deep South.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2023
  • As of now, there is just a 1 out of 5 chance of severe storms (dark green shading on the map).
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 10 July 2022
  • The main severe weather threat will arrive in the evening.
    — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2024
  • He was left with a brain injury that caused severe headaches.
    — Niela Orr, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023
  • Contributing to the squeeze was a severe shortage of homes for sale.
    — Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 20 Dec. 2023
  • Deputies and paramedics tried to save him, but his injuries were too severe, Drake said.
    — David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2023
  • The effect is more severe than on the days affected by the RMT’s strikes.
    — Time, 5 Jan. 2023
  • Still, for those put out of work by a downturn, the effects would be severe.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2022
  • For those who miss court and don’t pay, the consequences can be severe.
    — Samantha Sunne, ProPublica, 16 Nov. 2023
  • If your hearing loss is more severe than this, over-the-counter devices might not be the right choice.
    — Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2022
  • The most severe fires are ones that include both the forest and buildings.
    — Louis Gritzo, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
  • This hike will go off, rain or shine, but will be canceled in the event of severe weather.
    — Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Aug. 2024
  • At the same time, the agency is facing a severe budget gap in the coming years.
    — Julie Bosman, New York Times, 22 May 2024
  • In the southwestern parts of the state, there’s a higher chance of severe weather, according to the NWS.
    — Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
  • The greatest risk for severe storms will be along and east/northeast of Kansas City.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Police said the driver stopped and tried to help Landon but the injuries were too severe.
    — Francisco Guzman, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2023
  • But Liashko said the secondary effects were far more severe.
    — Derek Gatopoulos, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2022
  • Stronger and more severe storms will be near or south of the Kankakee River on Monday.
    — Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2023
  • Whether one calls the war in Gaza a genocide or a series of severe violations of the laws of war, the killing needs to stop now.
    — William Hartung, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
  • The most startling part of the costume is the mask, with its severe and labored expression.
    — Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Signs include a pair of puncture marks, redness, swelling, or severe pain around the bite.
    — Caroline Catherman, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Sep. 2022
  • That rise included more progressive massive fibrosis, the most severe form of the disease, and more cases among younger miners.
    — Chris Kenning, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • For those who were recently diagnosed and are having less severe motor symptoms, Fernandez suggested that a once-daily dose of tavapadon could potentially replace the three-times-a-day dosing of levodopa.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'severe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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