extreme

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​treme ik-ˈstrēm How to pronounce extreme (audio)
1
a
: existing in a very high degree
extreme poverty
b
: going to great or exaggerated lengths : radical
went on an extreme diet
c
: exceeding the ordinary, usual, or expected
extreme weather conditions
2
archaic : last
3
: situated at the farthest possible point from a center
the country's extreme north
4
a
: most advanced or thoroughgoing
the extreme political left
b
5
a
: of, relating to, or being an outdoor activity or a form of a sport (such as skiing) that involves an unusually high degree of physical risk
extreme mountain biking down steep slopes
b
: involved in an extreme sport
an extreme snowboarder
extremeness noun

extreme

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: something situated at or marking one end or the other of a range
extremes of heat and cold
b
: the first term or the last term of a mathematical proportion
c
: the major term or minor term of a syllogism
2
a
: a very pronounced or excessive degree
b
: highest degree : maximum
3
: an extreme measure or expedient
going to extremes
Phrases
in the extreme
: to the greatest possible extent
Choose the Right Synonym for extreme

excessive, immoderate, inordinate, extravagant, exorbitant, extreme mean going beyond a normal limit.

excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

Examples of extreme in a Sentence

Adjective The plant is sensitive to extreme heat and cold. They are living in extreme poverty. She went on an extreme diet. Many thought that the punishment was too extreme for the crime. The plan was rejected as too extreme. This is an extreme example of what can happen when a company grows too quickly. He has extreme opinions when it comes to politics. Members of the extreme right opposed the legislation. Noun After spending lavishly for years, the company has now gone to the opposite extreme and has cut expenses drastically. His mood changed from one extreme to the other.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Other symptoms of the condition include lightheadedness, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 The risk of wildfire in Canada has grown because of climate change, which increases the hot, dry and gusty conditions that have caused drought, according to research published last summer by World Weather Attribution, a group of scientists who model how climate change impacts extreme weather. Ian Austen, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 The most extreme conditions targeted the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada, where over 10 feet of snow and hurricane-force wind gusts of 170 mph-plus were reported. Susannah Cullinane, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Caltrans has also faced difficulty as snow blowers have broken down under extreme weather conditions. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Work after lunch started with positioning a camera in preparation for an extreme close-up take of Baldwin drawing a gun from a holster inside a makeshift church. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2024 The El Niño phenomenon has brought extreme dryness to Southeast Asia this season, reducing production in Vietnam and Indonesia and causing a spike in local prices. Dayanne Sousa, Fortune Asia, 2 Mar. 2024 Beneath the surface, in realms devoid of sunlight, the cold, high-pressure environment unveils an astonishing diversity of ecosystems and animals, each uniquely adapted to thrive in extreme conditions. Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 The person will conduct original research into the development and application of new risk assessment methods for extreme heat conditions, in addition to chemicals that have little or no toxicology testing in laboratory animals. Maya Miller, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
At the other extreme are countries that would prefer to keep UNESCO’s paper-pushing hands off their intangibles. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Why would anyone go to such extremes to dilute this? Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 But, the dueling roles also pushed Ohtani to unprecedented physical extremes, forcing him to divide his time, effort and mental energy on two very different — but equally demanding — positions during his six-year tenure with the Angels. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 The Devil’s Bath, an Austrian horror film from Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, which Playtime is selling worldwide, could be too gory for the Berlin jury, but the psychodrama about a woman driven to extremes in the 18th century rural Austria, won over Berlin audiences. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024 Tod Williamson, who manages the facility, said Emerald Triangle growers went to extremes to carry gear to remote locations not easily detected by authorities. Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 The series followed an obsessive fan who goes to murderous extremes to defend the sterling reputation of her favorite pop star. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 18 Feb. 2024 The fungus is particularly sensitive to climate extremes. Zoya Teirstein, WIRED, 17 Feb. 2024 Somewhere in between these extremes is the unglamorous, frequently tedious work of chipping away at an idea, a sequence, or line of dialogue that gets to the heart of what a scribe wants to say — or more precisely, hopes to communicate. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extreme.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin extremus, superlative of exter, exterus being on the outside — more at exterior

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of extreme was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near extreme

Cite this Entry

“Extreme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extreme. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

extreme

1 of 2 adjective
ex·​treme ik-ˈstrēm How to pronounce extreme (audio)
1
: existing to a very great degree
extreme heat
extreme poverty
2
: farthest from a center
3
: most advanced or thorough
the extreme political right
4
: relating to a form of a sport that involves an unusually high degree of risk
extreme skiing
extremely adverb
extremeness noun

extreme

2 of 2 noun
1
: something situated as far away as possible from another
extremes of heat and cold
2
: the first term or the last term of a mathematical proportion
3
: a very pronounced or excessive degree
4
: an extraordinary measure
going to extremes

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