Plain English Meaning

Severity answers the question: if this goes wrong, how bad will it be? It rates the size of the harm — minor, moderate, major, or catastrophic — independent of how often the event might occur.

Full Definition

In risk management, severity is the measure of how bad the consequences would be if an identified hazard actually resulted in an accident or incident. It is one of the two factors — along with likelihood — used to assess the overall level of risk associated with a hazard.

Context Anchor

Seen when judging flight risks before or during a flight, such as weather, runway conditions, aircraft problems, or a training situation with a student.