Hard
Hard adjective - Having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings.
Usage example: a hard man, who never had a kind word for anyone
Severe is a synonym for hard in harsh topic. In some cases you can use "Severe" instead an adjective "Hard", when it comes to topics like difficult, cruel, big, bitterly cold. popular alternative
Severe
Severe adjective - Given to exacting standards of discipline and self-restraint.
Usage example: a severe, uncompromising teacher who locked the classroom door precisely when the bell rang and let no one in afterward
Hard is a synonym for severe in difficult topic. You can use "Hard" instead an adjective "Severe", if it concerns topics such as harsh, strict, big, very difficult. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- The crew ends up putting him through a pretty severe Humiliation Conga, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes he didn't deserve every second of it.
Source: Kick the Son of a Bitch -
Whether or not it worked is hard to tell, as either Lee is still dying from the infection, or the blood loss from his arm is too severe to recover from.
Source: Video Game / The Walking Dead - In Battlestar Galactica Online this is possible, but there's a severe penalty for the chargeup time needed if you try to jump out in combat, making it hard to do so.
Source: Hyperspeed Escape
Cite this Source
Severe and Hard. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/hard/severe
Hard & Severe. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/hard/severe>.
Severe or Hard. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/hard/severe.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "hard" and "severe" have occurred on timeline