Severe vs. Extreme — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Severe and Extreme
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Severe
(of something bad or undesirable) very great; intense
A severe shortage of technicians
A severe attack of asthma
The damage is not too severe
Extreme
Most remote in any direction; outermost or farthest
The extreme edge of the field.
Severe
(of punishment of a person) strict or harsh
The charges would have warranted a severe sentence
Extreme
Being in or attaining the greatest or highest degree; very intense
Extreme pleasure.
Extreme pain.
Severe
Very plain in style or appearance
She wore another severe suit, grey this time
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Extreme
Being far beyond the norm
An extreme conservative.
Severe
Unsparing, harsh, or strict, as in treatment of others
A severe critic.
Extreme
Of the greatest severity; drastic
Took extreme measures to conserve fuel.
Severe
Marked by or requiring strict adherence to rigorous standards or high principles
A severe code of behavior.
Extreme
Characterized by severe, usually oxygen-poor environmental conditions.
Severe
Stern or forbidding, as in manner or appearance
Spoke in a severe voice.
Extreme
Having an affinity for such conditions
An extreme microorganism.
Severe
Extremely plain in substance or style
A severe black dress.
Extreme
Very dangerous or difficult
Extreme rafting.
Severe
Causing great discomfort, damage, or distress
A severe pain.
A severe storm.
Extreme
Participating or tending to participate in a very dangerous or difficult sport
An extreme skier.
Severe
Very dangerous or harmful; grave or grievous
Severe mental illness.
Extreme
(Archaic) Final; last.
Severe
Extremely difficult to perform or endure; trying
A severe test of our loyalty.
Extreme
The greatest or utmost degree or point.
Severe
Very bad or intense.
Extreme
Either of the two things situated at opposite ends of a range
The extremes of boiling and freezing.
Severe
Strict or harsh.
A severe taskmaster
Extreme
An extreme condition.
Severe
Sober, plain in appearance, austere.
A severe old maiden aunt
Severe clothing
Extreme
An immoderate, drastic expedient
Resorted to extremes in the emergency.
Severe
Serious in feeling or manner; sedate; grave; austere; not light, lively, or cheerful.
Your looks alter, as your subject does,From kind to fierce, from wanton to severe.
Extreme
The first or last term of a ratio or a series.
Severe
Very strict in judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as, severe criticism; severe punishment.
Come! you are too severe a moraler.
Let your zeal, if it must be expressed in anger, be always more severe against thyself than against others.
Extreme
A maximum or minimum value of a function.
Severe
Rigidly methodical, or adherent to rule or principle; exactly conformed to a standard; not allowing or employing unneccessary ornament, amplification, etc.; strict; - said of style, argument, etc.
The Latin, a most severe and compendious language.
Extreme
(Logic) The major or minor term of a syllogism.
Severe
Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; extreme; as, severe pain, anguish, fortune; severe cold.
Extreme
Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.
At the extreme edges, the coating is very thin.
Severe
Difficult to be endured; exact; critical; rigorous; as, a severe test.
Extreme
In the greatest or highest degree; intense.
He has an extreme aversion to needles, and avoids visiting the doctor.
Severe
Intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality;
Severe pain
A severe case of flu
A terrible cough
Under wicked fire from the enemy's guns
A wicked cough
Extreme
Excessive, or far beyond the norm.
His extreme love of model trains showed in the rails that criscrossed his entire home.
Severe
Very strong or vigorous;
Strong winds
A hard left to the chin
A knockout punch
A severe blow
Extreme
Drastic, or of great severity.
I think the new laws are extreme, but many believe them necessary for national security.
Severe
Severely simple;
A stark interior
Extreme
Of sports, difficult or dangerous; performed in a hazardous environment.
Television has begun to reflect the growing popularity of extreme sports such as bungee jumping and skateboarding.
Severe
Unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment;
A parent severe to the pitch of hostility
A hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien
A strict disciplinarian
A Spartan upbringing
Extreme
(archaic) Ultimate, final or last.
The extreme hour of life
Severe
Causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm;
A dangerous operation
A grave situation
A grave illness
Grievous bodily harm
A serious wound
A serious turn of events
A severe case of pneumonia
A life-threatening disease
Extreme
The greatest or utmost point, degree or condition.
Severe
Very bad in degree or extent;
A severe worldwide depression
The house suffered severe damage
Extreme
Each of the things at opposite ends of a range or scale.
Extremes of temperature
Extreme
One of the last moments of life.
Extreme
A drastic expedient.
Some people go to extremes for attention on social media.
Extreme
Hardships, straits.
Extreme
(mathematics) Either of the two numbers at the ends of a proportion, as 1 and 6 in 1:2=3:6.
Extreme
(archaic) Extremely.
Extreme
At the utmost point, edge, or border; outermost; utmost; farthest; most remote; at the widest limit.
Extreme
Last; final; conclusive; - said of time; as, the extreme hour of life.
Extreme
The best of worst; most urgent; greatest; highest; immoderate; excessive; most violent; as, an extreme case; extreme folly.
Yet extreme gusts will blow out fire.
Extreme
Radical; ultra; as, extreme opinions.
The Puritans or extreme Protestants.
Extreme
Extended or contracted as much as possible; - said of intervals; as, an extreme sharp second; an extreme flat forth.
Extreme
The utmost point or verge; that part which terminates a body; extremity.
Extreme
Utmost limit or degree that is supposable or tolerable; hence, furthest degree; any undue departure from the mean; - often in the plural: things at an extreme distance from each other, the most widely different states, etc.; as, extremes of heat and cold, of virtue and vice; extremes meet.
His parsimony went to the extreme of meanness.
Extreme
An extreme state or condition; hence, calamity, danger, distress, etc.
Extreme
Either of the extreme terms of a syllogism, the middle term being interposed between them.
Extreme
The first or the last term of a proportion or series.
Extreme
The furthest or highest degree of something;
He carried it to extremes
Extreme
The point located farthest from the middle of something
Extreme
Of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity;
Extreme cold
Extreme caution
Extreme pleasure
Utmost contempt
To the utmost degree
In the uttermost distress
Extreme
Far beyond a norm in quantity or amount or degree; to an utmost degree;
An extreme example
Extreme temperatures
Extreme danger
Extreme
Beyond a norm in views or actions;
An extreme conservative
An extreme liberal
Extreme views on integration
Extreme opinions
Extreme
Most distant in any direction;
The extreme edge of town
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