Words / B2

si-VEERL-ee/sɪˈvɪəli/

Severely means very badly or strictly; to a serious degree: severely delayed; severely criticised. Seriously is close; extremely is wider. The storm severely delayed fieldwork. Adjective: severe (already in the dictionary). Mix-up: several means some (already in the dictionary). Do not write severely for “several times”.

Meaning

Very badly or strictly; to a serious degree.

Examples

• “The storm severely delayed the coastal fieldwork, the risk log noted.”
• “She was severely reprimanded for the unsealed pack, which is the strictly sense.”

Good to know

severely + verb / adjective; severely limited. Adjective: severe. Trap: several. News, medicine, and discipline. Badly or strictly, not “a few”.

Near in meaning

seriously

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