extreme
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of EXTREME
1
:
very great in degree
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The plant is sensitive to extreme heat and cold.
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They are living in extreme poverty.
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If you have to go out in the storm, use extreme caution. [=be very careful]
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Extreme accuracy is required.
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extreme old age
2
[more extreme; most extreme]
:
very serious or severe
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She went on an extreme diet.
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Many thought that the punishment was too extreme for the crime.
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extreme weather conditions
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This situation calls for extreme [=drastic] measures.
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The plan was rejected as too extreme.
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This is an extreme example of what can happen when a company grows too quickly.
3
[more extreme; most extreme]
:
very far from agreeing with the opinions of most people
:
not moderate
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He has extreme opinions when it comes to politics.
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Members of the extreme right/left opposed the legislation.
4
always used before a noun
:
in the farthest possible position
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In the photo, she is at/on the extreme right/left. [=she is in the position that is farthest to the right/left]
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The city is in the extreme northern part of the state.
5
sports
a
:
unusual and dangerous
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extreme sports
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He is a fan of extreme skiing/snowboarding.
b
always used before a noun,
US
:
involved in an unusually dangerous sport
:
competing in an extreme sport
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an extreme athlete
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He is an extreme snowboarder/skier.
go to extreme lengths
— extremely
adverb-
It is extremely [=very] hot/cold in here.
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She is extremely generous.
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The story has an extremely complicated plot.
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It is extremely [=highly, very] unlikely that we will know anyone there.
2
extreme
/ɪkˈstriːm/
noun
plural
extremes
2
extreme
/ɪkˈstriːm/
noun
plural
extremes
Britannica Dictionary definition of EXTREME
[count]
1
:
either one of two opposite conditions, feelings, positions, etc., that are thought of as being far from what is normal or reasonable
— often plural
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After spending lavishly for years, the company has now gone to the opposite/other extreme and has cut expenses drastically.
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His mood changed/swung from one extreme to the other.
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experiencing extremes of emotion
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The temperature in the desert ranges between extremes of heat and cold.
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Their political views represent the extremes within the party.
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There are people at both extremes within the party.
2
:
an amount or degree that is far beyond what is normal or reasonable
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The movie changes the story to such an extreme [=changes it so much] that it's hardly recognizable.
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They are being pushed/driven to ridiculous extremes. [=being forced to do much more than seems reasonable]
◊ If you carry/take (something) to extremes or go to extremes, you do much more than most people would consider reasonable or normal.
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The problems in our school system can be solved without going to (such) extremes.
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Problems can occur when people carry/take dieting to extremes.
in the extreme
formal
:
to the greatest possible degree
— used to make a statement more forceful
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I'm finding it difficult in the extreme [=very/extremely difficult] to deal with this situation.
