extreme

Much greater, stronger, or more serious than usual.

• The plants died in the extreme heat.
• Extreme poverty affects millions of families.
• Doctors use this treatment only in extreme cases.

Similar words: severe, intense

Opposites: mild, moderate

Common phrases: extreme heat, extreme weather, extreme cases, extreme fear

At the farthest point or outermost edge of something.

• A small village lies in the extreme north.
• The crack reaches the extreme edge of the glass.
• Place the label at the extreme right of the page.

Similar words: outermost, farthest

Common phrases: extreme edge, extreme north, extreme left

One of the two most different points, amounts, or conditions in a range.

• The two proposals represent opposite extremes.
• Temperatures swing between extremes here.
• At the other extreme, some families own several homes.

How to use it: at one/the other extreme (At one extreme, people have almost nothing.)

Similar words: limit, end

Common phrases: opposite extreme, at one extreme, between two extremes

An unusually severe action taken to achieve something.

• He goes to extremes for attention.
• We should avoid such extremes.
• She went to extremes to keep the secret.

How to use it: go to extremes to do something (They went to extremes to protect their privacy.)

Similar words: drastic measure

Common phrases: go to extremes, such an extreme