Collocations for "severe"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "severe" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
severe
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- a severe [warning, alert]
- a severe [thunderstorm, tornado] [warning]
- severe weather [alerts, warnings, conditions]
- a severe [shortage, shortfall, lack] (of)
- only in (the most) severe cases
- a severe [case, symptom, consequence] of
- suffers (from) severe [headaches, back pain, nausea]
- [are facing, constitutes, is] a severe threat
- [place, put] severe [constraints, restrictions, limits] on
- caused severe [panic, damage, injuries]
- [received, incurred] severe [punishment, fines, sanctions]
- was given a severe [reprimand, telling off]
- [came in for, received] severe criticism (for)
- is at a severe disadvantage
- is a severe test of [agility, strength, character]
- the decision was [very, unfairly, a little] severe
- is (too) severe with (the) [students, children, workers]
- a [very, rather] severe [woman, man, teacher]
'severe' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
addiction
- advisory
- alert
- anxiety
- attrition
- batter
- blow
- budget
- buffet
- case
- casualty
- cognitive
- complain
- concussion
- constitute
- constraint
- cost
- cramp
- crash
- crisis
- criticism
- damage
- deal
- delay
- delusion
- depression
- disability
- disadvantage
- discomfort
- disruption
- distress
- dizziness
- downturn
- drought
- endurance
- enemy
- envisage
- frequent
- hardship
- hit
- loss
- measles
- medication
- neglect
- pain
- persistent
- poverty
- punishment
- scrutiny
- sentence