extreme

I UK [ɪkˈstriːm] / US [ɪkˈstrɪm] adjective **

1) [only before noun] very great in degree

extreme poverty/hardship

Use extreme caution when driving in wet conditions.

Will the clothing give protection against extreme cold?

2) considered unreasonable by most people

extreme right-wing views

Their demands were seen as being too extreme.

It seemed a bit extreme to call the police.

3)

a) very unusual

an extreme case:

In extreme cases, your membership may be cancelled.

an extreme example (of something):

This city's problems offer an extreme example of the difficulties faced by the country as a whole.

b) much more severe or serious than usual

The police were accused of using extreme violence against the protesters.

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Collocations:
Nouns frequently used with extreme
▪  case, circumstance, example, form, position

4) [only before noun] furthest away

the extreme end/edge/tip:

The wooden buildings are situated at the extreme tip of the island.

the extreme left/right/north/south:

The minister is on the extreme left of the picture.

II UK [ɪkˈstriːm] / US [ɪkˈstrɪm] noun [countable]
Word forms "extreme":
singular extreme plural extremes
*

1) an opinion or way of behaving that is as different from another as it is possible to be

at the other/opposite extreme:

Louise goes to the gym every day. At the other extreme, her husband does absolutely no exercise at all.

from one extreme to the other:

When it comes to eating, I go from one extreme to the other.

between two extremes:

The public's views on genetic engineering seem to range between two extremes.

2) [usually plural] a very large or very small degree of something

extreme of:

Extremes of temperature are not good for your skin.

The country still contains extremes of wealth and poverty.

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go to extremes= take/carry something to extremes — to do something much more than is usual or reasonable

This is political correctness taken to extremes.

- in the extreme