Word Study
severity
CIDE DICTIONARY
severity, n. [L. severitas: cf. F. sévérité.].
The quality or state of being severe. [1913 Webster]
"Confining myself to the severity of truth." [1913 Webster]
THESAURUS
severity
Spartan simplicity, Spartanism, abruptness, absolute zero, absoluteness, abusiveness, accuracy, acerbity, acidity, acidulousness, acridity, acrimony, acuteness, aggressiveness, algidity, aloofness, animality, asceticism, asperity, astringency, atrocity, attention to fact, austerity, authoritarianism, baldness, barbarity, bareness, bearishness, beastliness, bite, bitingness, bitterness, bleakness, bloodlust, bluntness, boorishness, brashness, briskness, brusqueness, brusquerie, brutality, burdensomeness, candor, care for truth, causticity, chill, chilliness, churlishness, cold, coldness, common speech, cool, coolness, coolth, correctness, crispness, crudeness, cruelty, crustiness, cryogenics, cryology, curtness, cuttingness, decrease in temperature, delicacy, demandingness, despotism, destructiveness, directness, discipline, edge, elementarity, exactingness, exactitude, exactness, exigency, extremity, faithfulness, fastidiousness, faultlessness, ferociousness, ferocity, fidelity, fierceness, fineness, flawlessness, flintiness, force, frankness, freezing point, freshness, frigidity, frostiness, fundamentality, furiousness, fury, gelidity, gravity, grievousness, grimness, grip, gruffness, hardness, harshness, homespun, homogeneity, household words, iciness, impetuosity, inclemency, inexorability, inexorableness, inflexibility, inhumanity, inornateness, integrity, intense cold, intensity, keenness, leanness, literalism, literality, literalness, low temperature, malignity, mathematical precision, matter-of-factness, meanness, mercilessness, meticulousness, mindlessness, modesty, monasticism, monism, mordacity, mordancy, murderousness, nastiness, naturalness, niceness, nicety, nip, nippiness, obduracy, obdurateness, oneness, onerousness, openness, oppression, oppressiveness, painfulness, perfection, piquancy, pitilessness, plain English, plain speaking, plain speech, plain style, plain words, plainness, poignancy, point, preciseness, precision, primitiveness, prosaicness, prosiness, pungency, punishment, punitiveness, purity, rawness, refinement, regimentation, relentlessness, restrainedness, right, rightness, rigid discipline, rigidity, rigor, rigorousness, roughness, ruggedness, rustic style, ruthlessness, savagery, seriousness, sharp air, sharpness, shortness, simpleness, simplicity, singleness, soberness, solemnity, sourness, spareness, sparseness, starkness, sternness, sting, storminess, straightforwardness, strictness, stridency, stringency, subtlety, surliness, tartness, teeth, tempestuousness, terrorism, textualism, the letter, toughness, trenchancy, truculence, tyranny, unadorned style, unadornedness, unadulteration, unaffectedness, unelaborateness, unfanciness, unfussiness, ungentleness, uniformity, unimaginativeness, unity, unmixedness, unpoeticalness, unsophistication, vandalism, vehemence, venom, vernacular, viciousness, violence, virulenceROGET THESAURUS
severity
Plainness
N plainness, simplicity, severity, plain terms, plain English, Saxon English, household words, plain, simple, unornamented, unadorned, unvarnished, homely, homespun, neat, severe, chaste, pure, Saxon, commonplace, matter-of- fact, natural, prosaic, dry, unvaried, monotonous, in plain terms, in plain words, in plain English, in plain common parlance, point-blank.Severity
N severity, strictness, harshness, rigor, stringency, austerity, inclemency, arrogance, precisianism, arbitrary power, absolutism, despotism, dictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, domineering, oppression, assumption, usurpation, inquisition, reign of terror, martial law, iron heel, iron rule, iron hand, iron sway, tight grasp, brute force, brute strength, coercion, strong hand, tight hand, hard lines, hard measure, tender mercies, sharp practice, pipe-clay, officialism, tyrant, disciplinarian, precisian, martinet, stickler, bashaw, despot, hard master, Draco, oppressor, inquisitor, extortioner, harpy, vulture, accipitres, birds of prey, raptorials, raptors, severe, strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell, relentless, Spartan, Draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron-handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative, coercive, tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial, inclement, cruel, haughty, arrogant, precisian, severely, with a high hand, with a strong hand, with a tight hand, with a heavy hand, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, Delirant reges plectuntur Achivi, manu forti, ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno.Physical Energy
N energy, physical energy, force, power, keenness, intensity, vigor, strength, elasticity, go, high pressure, fire, rush, acrimony, acritude, causiticity, virulence, poignancy, harshness, severity, edge, point, pungency, cantharides, seasoning, activity, agitation, effervescence, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, splutter, perturbation, stir, bustle, voluntary energy, quicksilver, resolution, exertion, excitation, strong, energetic, forcible, active, intense, deep-dyed, severe, keen, vivid, sharp, acute, incisive, trenchant, brisk, rousing, irritation, poignant, virulent, caustic, corrosive, mordant, harsh, stringent, double-edged, double-shotted, double- distilled, drastic, escharotic, racy, potent, radioactive, strongly, fortiter in re, with telling effect, the steam is up, vires acquirit eundo, the race by vigor not by vaunts is won.Violence
N violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, effervescence, ebullition, turbulence, bluster, uproar, callithump, riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre, devil to pay, all the fat in the fire, severity, ferocity, rage, fury, exacerbation, exasperation, malignity, fit, paroxysm, orgasm, climax, aphrodisia, force, brute force, outrage, coup de main, strain, shock, shog, spasm, convulsion, throe, hysterics, passion, outbreak, outburst, debacle, burst, bounce, dissilience, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion, torrent, turmoil, ferment, storm, tempest, rough weather, squall, earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm, berserk, berserker, fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto, madcap, wild beast, fire eater, violent, vehement, warm, acute, sharp, rough, rude, ungentle, bluff, boisterous, wild, brusque, abrupt, waspish, impetuous, rampant, turbulent, disorderly, blustering, raging, troublous, riotous, tumultuary, tumultuous, obstreperous, uproarious, extravagant, unmitigated, ravening, inextinguishable, tameless, frenzied, desperate, infuriate, furious, outrageous, frantic, hysteric, in hysterics, fiery, flaming, scorching, hot, red-hot, ebullient, savage, fierce, ferocious, fierce as a tiger, excited, unquelled, unquenched, unextinguished, unrepressed, unbridled, unruly, headstrong, ungovernable, unappeasable, immitigable, unmitigable, uncontrollable, incontrollable, insuppressible, irrepressible, orgastic, orgasmatic, orgasmic, spasmodic, convulsive, explosive, detonating, volcanic, meteoric, stormy, violently, amain, by storm, by force, by main force, with might and main, tooth and nail, vi et armis, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, at one fell swoop, with a high hand, through thick and thin, in desperation, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, headlong, head foremost, furor arma ministrat, blown with restless violence round about the pende.Pitilessness
N pitilessness, inclemency, severity, malevolence, pitiless, merciless, ruthless, bowelless, unpitying, unmerciful, inclement, grim-faced, grim-visaged, incompassionate, uncompassionate, inexorable, harsh, unrelenting.For further exploring for "severity" in Webster Dictionary Online