moderate to severe

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "moderate to severe" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in medical or psychological contexts to describe the intensity or severity of symptoms, conditions, or experiences. Example: "The patient reported experiencing moderate to severe pain following the procedure."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

About one in 50 children has moderate to severe ADHD.

The Guardian

About 1.5 million American adults have moderate to severe psoriasis.

The New York Times

Incidence of moderate to severe ichthyosis in the United States.

Yale University

Weathering of the carved surface varies from moderate to severe.

Harvard University

Moderate to severe anemia and thrombocytopenia seldom occurred.

Lung Cancer

A substantial proportion of patients experienced moderate to severe pain.

Pain Management Nursing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

The most commonly endorsed conditions were moderate-to-severe somatization symptoms (17.63%) and moderate-to-severe insomnia (15.65%).

Duke University

Ten patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS were included.

Annals of Intensive Care

No patients presented with moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Annals of Intensive Care

In particular, 69.2% of men with moderate-to-severe asthma at baseline still had moderate-to-severe asthma after a median follow-up of 8.7 years, whereas only 53.1% of women with moderate-to-severe asthma remained moderate-to-severe.

Plosone

Clinical dehydration: moderate-to-severe dehydration.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the intensity of a condition, consider using "moderate to severe" to convey a range of impact, ensuring clarity and accuracy in your description. For instance, use it to describe pain levels, disease severity, or weather conditions to give a comprehensive understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "moderate to severe" interchangeably with scales that have more granular levels (e.g. mild, moderate, severe, very severe). Make sure that the descriptions are aligned with the specific scales being used to ensure the information is perceived correctly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moderate to severe" primarily functions as a modifier, specifically an adjectival phrase. It's used to describe the degree or intensity of a condition, symptom, or event. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its common use in describing pain, disease, and damage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

31%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "moderate to severe" serves as a crucial descriptor, particularly in medical, scientific, and news-related fields, to accurately portray the intensity or degree of a given condition or situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used to provide a nuanced understanding of intensity. It is frequently found in scientific and news contexts, offering a more precise understanding compared to using single-word adjectives. When employing this phrase, ensure consistency in scale usage and consider available alternatives like "medium to extreme" or "substantial to critical" for varied expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

medium to extreme

Emphasizes the range from an average point to the highest degree.

substantial to critical

Highlights a progression from noteworthy to crucial or life-threatening conditions.

considerable to acute

Suggests a range from significant to intensely sharp or sudden.

notable to intense

Focuses on the increasing level of intensity, marking a change from something noticeable to something very strong.

significant to drastic

Indicates change from a level of importance to something radical or extreme.

noticeable to serious

Ranges from being merely observable to posing a threat or concern.

intermediate to intense

Describes a state between mild and strong, reaching a high level of intensity.

pronounced to extreme

Highlights the visibility or clarity of a condition leading up to the highest level of severity.

meaningful to critical

Describes a shift from importance or relevance to a point of being essential and urgent.

marked to drastic

Shows transition from a noticeable degree to one that is radical or extreme.

FAQs

How can I use "moderate to severe" in a sentence?

You can use "moderate to severe" to describe the intensity or impact of various conditions or situations. For example, "The patient experienced "moderate to severe" pain after the surgery" or "The storm caused "moderate to severe" damage to the coastal areas".

What are some alternatives to "moderate to severe"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "medium to extreme", "substantial to critical", or "considerable to acute" to convey a similar range of intensity.

Is it redundant to say "moderate to severe"?

While the terms might seem similar, "moderate" and "severe" represent distinct levels of intensity. Using ""moderate to severe"" indicates a range of experiences or conditions that fall between these two points, providing a more comprehensive description.

What's the difference between "mild to moderate" and "moderate to severe"?

"Mild to moderate" describes conditions that are less intense, while ""moderate to severe"" indicates a higher level of intensity. The key difference is the range they cover on the intensity scale, with ""moderate to severe"" suggesting a more serious or impactful state.