The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - severeadj.

1) strict, harsh, rigorous, austere, hard, stony, stony-hearted, hard-hearted, flinty, inexorable, iron-handed, oppressive, unbending, rigid, uncompromising, relentless, unyielding, obdurate, pitiless, punitive, merciless, unsympathetic, unfeeling, cruel, brutal, mean, savage, inhuman, beastly, ruthless, despotic, dictatorial, tyrannical, autocratic, demanding, exacting, painstaking, fastidious, exigent, taxing: Nicholas Nickleby was subjected to extremely severe treatment at Dotheboys Hall. Mr Bradshaw was a severe taskmaster. 2) stern, forbidding, dour, glowering, grave, grim, stiff, strait-laced, serious, unsmiling, sober, cold, frigid, aloof, austere: If he so much as dropped a spoon the master would give Nicholas a severe look. 3) dangerous, critical, dreadful, awful, life-threatening, acute, dire; mortal, fatal, terminal: She has had a severe attack of the flu. 4) stringent, punitive, harsh, punishing, burdensome, tough, onerous, grievous, painful, Draconian or Draconic: There are severe penalties for breaking the parking laws in this city. 5) harsh, bitter, cold, inclement, keen, violent, stormy, intense, turbulent, fierce, wicked: Granny couldn't live through another severe winter at Fort William. 6) stark, bare, plain, austere, Spartan, ascetic, primitive, simple, sparse, spare, monastic, modest, unadorned, unembellished, crude, undecorated, unembroidered: The severe d‚cor in the servants' quarters gave the appearance of a prison.