used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather

[ Syn: badness , severity ]

something hard to endure; the asperity of northern winters

[ Syn: asperity , grimness , hardship , rigor , rigour , severity , rigorousness , rigourousness ]

extreme plainness

[ Syn: austereness , severity ]

excessive sternness; severity of character; the harshness of his punishment was inhuman; the rigors of boot camp

[ Syn: severity , harshness , rigor , rigour , rigorousness , rigourousness , inclemency , hardness , stiffness ]