- in a very stern, strict, or harsh way: One day he was caught taking a few pieces of scrap wood and was severely punished with two weeks of hard labor.
- to a grave, far-reaching, or critical degree; seriously: Severely ill patients with kidney infections may be hospitalized until they can take fluids and medications on their own.
- in a very simple, plain, or austere style or manner: She wore her hair severely tied back in a ponytail and refused to wear anything feminine.
- in a very challenging or exacting way that is difficult to endure:The Great Depression severely tested the parish, as the church building was almost lost to creditors.
- to a distressing or highly uncomfortable degree:Much of North America experiences periods of severely cold weather and is susceptible to snow and ice storms.
