Meaning : Used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather.
Synonyms : badness, severeness
Meaning : Something hard to endure.
Example :
The asperity of northern winters.
Synonyms : asperity, grimness, hardship, rigor, rigorousness, rigour, rigourousness, severeness
Meaning : Extreme plainness.
Synonyms : austereness, severeness
Meaning : Excessive sternness.
Example :
Severity of character.
The harshness of his punishment was inhuman.
The rigors of boot camp.
Synonyms : hardness, harshness, inclemency, rigor, rigorousness, rigour, rigourousness, severeness, stiffness