severe event

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "severe event" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an incident or occurrence that is serious in nature, often with significant consequences or impact. Example: "The organization is preparing for a severe event that could disrupt operations and affect employee safety."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The extent and severity of landslide damage sustained across the study area during the March 1995 storm was consistent with a severe event with a likely recurrence interval of several decades.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

When disease severity was evaluated, all cases were graded as mild, without severe event.

Cancer Science

Most events associated with possible acute phase reactions were determined by the investigator to be mild or moderate in severity; only 1 patient, in the once-a-month group, experienced a severe event.

Clinical interventions in aging

"That makes this an extraordinarily large and severe event," he said.

The New York Times

"The Biak massacre is widely known in anecdotal terms in West Papua as being a really severe event but it's not acknowledged officially at all – certainly not by the Indonesian government," he said.

The Guardian

More seriously still, long-term climate records from tree-ring chronologies show that this drought was the most severe event of its kind in the western United States in the past 800 years.

The New York Times

Witt's firm points out in its report that United Illuminating, the other nonmunicipal utility operating in Connecticut, had a severe event level contingency in which 71 percent of its customers were assumed to go dark.

The New York Times

Nevertheless, the ΔPWV map does not help in defining where a severe event could take place.

Earth, Planets and Space

The ∆PWV is not sufficient to determine whether a severe event may occur in circles 1 or 2 (a), whereas the HI highlights circle 1, where the severe event occurred (b).

Earth, Planets and Space

Fig. 18 30-minute extraction from the 6-min HI maps for the severe event on November 4, 2011.

Earth, Planets and Space

However, overcoming a threshold of PWV is not sufficient to state that a severe event will occur.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In risk management or disaster planning, use "severe event" to refer to incidents that require substantial resources and could have widespread impact.

Common error

Avoid using "severe event" to describe minor inconveniences or easily resolved issues. This can create unnecessary alarm and undermine the credibility of your communication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "severe event" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "severe" modifies the noun "event". According to Ludwig, this is a correct and usable phrase. Examples show it describing impactful occurrences across varied domains.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "severe event" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression that denotes an incident of considerable seriousness. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Frequently found in scientific, news, and formal business contexts, it serves the purpose of objectively describing situations with notable negative consequences. When employing this phrase, it's important to ensure that the described event warrants the term's gravitas, avoiding its use for trivial situations. Semantically related alternatives include "critical incident" and "serious occurrence", offering nuanced ways to convey similar meanings while avoiding repetition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

critical incident

Replaces "severe" with "critical", emphasizing the importance or urgency of the event.

serious occurrence

Substitutes "event" with "occurrence", maintaining a formal tone while highlighting the gravity of the situation.

major catastrophe

Replaces both words to suggest a large-scale, devastating event.

grave situation

Emphasizes the potential negative consequences of the event by using "grave".

dire circumstance

Highlights the urgency and potential for negative outcomes using "dire".

traumatic episode

Focuses on the emotional or psychological impact of the event.

intense experience

Shifts the focus to the personal impact and strength of the event.

significant crisis

Highlights the importance and turning point nature of the event.

dangerous situation

Emphasizes the risk and potential harm associated with the event.

challenging circumstance

Understates the severity, focusing on the difficulty posed by the event.

FAQs

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

You can use "severe event" to describe significant occurrences or incidents that have serious consequences. For example: "The study tracked the occurrence of "severe event" during the trial period."

What are some alternatives to saying "severe event"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "critical incident", "serious occurrence", or "major catastrophe" to convey similar meanings.

Is there a difference between a "severe event" and an "extreme event"?

While both phrases describe significant occurrences, "severe event" typically emphasizes the intensity of the impact or consequences, whereas "extreme event"/"extreme event" often refers to the deviation from normal conditions.

In what contexts is it most appropriate to use the term "severe event"?

The term "severe event" is commonly used in medical, scientific, and risk management contexts to objectively describe incidents that have notable negative consequences. For less formal situations, consider alternatives such as "serious incident".