a severe hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a severe hour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a particularly difficult or challenging time, often in a metaphorical sense. Example: "During the war, the nation faced a severe hour that tested the resilience of its people."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A 59-year-old man who had previously survived a car accident presented with a severe, hour-glass shaped, post-tracheostomy stenosis in the upper trachea.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

During the night on November 8 a severe 8-hour absorption event blinded the instrument, while the densities during the daytime are markedly low (Zong et al., 2010).

Earth, Planets and Space

Similarly, if care at home is shared with help from formal carers the informal hours of care are reduced to 404 (mild), 619 (moderate) and 1141 (severe) hours per annum.

BMC Public Health

He said his wife was left sitting in a wheelchair for several hours in severe pain until a bed was found.

BBC

Dr. Fidler and Dr. Atweh said that because changing a dressing on a severe burn can take hours, and because burn victims are checked as often as every 15 minutes, the nurses, in particular, play a critical role.

The New York Times

Trierweiler, 48, was taken to hospital on Friday suffering from what was described as "a severe case of blues", hours after a French magazine published photographs of the president apparently paying secret visits to an actress.

The Guardian

JMA upgraded Zelda to a severe tropical storm eighteen hours later.

Wikipedia

When plants were grown in long-day conditions (16 hours light, 8 hours dark), a severe delay in flowering time was observed for the double atvoz1-1 atvoz2-1 mutants compared to wild type (WT; ecotype Col-0) (Fig. 1B,C; supplementary material Table S1).

Biology Open

An article on Wednesday in The New York Times reported that the study had shown that 24 percent of those who used 5-Hour Energy suffered a "moderately severe" crash hours after consuming it.

The New York Times

Warm ischaemia and reperfusion for periods of up to 2 hours elicits a severe renal injury, with measured mean creatinine clearance of 7 ml/minute 4 hours following reperfusion in one study [ 22].

Critical Care

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the Legacy wagon a good rating and calls it a "best pick" for its performance in an offset-front crash test at 40 miles an hour -- a severe test of the body structure.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a severe hour" sparingly, as it can sound overly dramatic. Consider alternatives that more precisely convey the specific nature of the difficulty or intensity you wish to describe.

Common error

Avoid using "a severe hour" in contexts where a simpler, more direct phrase would suffice. Overusing dramatic language can diminish its impact when a truly serious situation arises.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of the phrase "a severe hour" is to act as a noun phrase, where "severe" modifies the noun "hour". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. The phrase denotes a specific, challenging period.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a severe hour" describes a particularly difficult or challenging time. Ludwig AI confirms that the expression is usable in English, although it's important to note that the phrase is relatively uncommon and may sound overly dramatic in some contexts. Consider alternatives like "a difficult time" or "a critical moment" for greater clarity and impact. Using "a severe hour" sparingly will ensure its effectiveness when a truly serious situation requires such emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a difficult time

Replaces "severe" with "difficult", focusing on the challenging nature of the period.

a challenging period

Emphasizes the demanding aspect of the situation instead of its severity.

a critical moment

Highlights the importance and potential consequences of the hour.

a tough phase

Replaces "hour" with "phase", suggesting a longer, less immediate timeframe, and "severe" with "tough", decreasing formality.

a trying time

Focuses on the stressful and testing nature of the experience.

an intense period

Emphasizes the high degree of activity, effort, or emotion.

a crisis point

Suggests a decisive moment where a situation is about to change, possibly for the worse.

a precarious juncture

More formal, indicating a point where stability is threatened.

a testing interval

Focuses on the evaluative aspect of the period, as if it's a trial.

a dark hour

Emphasizes the gloomy and unfavorable nature of the situation.

FAQs

How can I use "a severe hour" in a sentence?

You can use "a severe hour" to describe a particularly difficult or challenging time. For example: "The company faced "a severe hour" during the economic recession".

What can I say instead of "a severe hour"?

You can use alternatives like "a difficult time", "a challenging period", or "a critical moment" depending on the context.

Is "a severe hour" formal or informal?

"A severe hour" is more formal and slightly dramatic. In informal contexts, consider using simpler alternatives like "a tough time".

Which is correct, "a severe hour" or "a severely hour"?

"A severe hour" is the correct form. "Severe" is an adjective modifying "hour". "Severely" is an adverb and would not be grammatically appropriate in this phrase.