How to say "severity" in Japanese

• 厳しさきびしさCommon
  nounCovers severity in the everyday sense of strictness or harsh intensity: the severity of rules, discipline, training, or conditions. For most uses of 'severity' this is the word you want.
• 激烈げきれつCommon
  noun, na-adjectiveRarely the right rendering of 'severity': it really denotes violence, vehemence, or fury. Use it only when severity means fierce intensity, as of an attack or a struggle, rather than strictness.
  我々われわれの会社かいしゃは激烈げきれつな競争きょうそうに耐たえきれなかった。↗

  Our company failed to survive against cutthroat competition.

Use 「厳しさ」 for severity as strictness or harsh intensity, as of rules, discipline, or conditions; reserve 激烈 for severity that amounts to violence or vehemence, as in fierce attacks or struggles.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 厳しさきびしさseverity
• 激烈げきれつviolence
• 厳酷げんこくseverity
• 酷烈こくれつseverity
• 重症度じゅうしょうどseverity (of an illness)
• 秋霜烈日しゅうそうれつじつharshness