direness

/ˈdaɪərnəs/
noun
  1. The quality or state of being extremely serious, urgent, or terrible.
    • The direness of the situation became clear when the floodwaters reached the rooftops.
    • No one fully understood the direness of the famine until the reports came in.
    • The direness of his illness forced the family to make quick decisions.
What does "direness" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean