grief

play

noun \ ˈgrēf \

Definition of grief

1 obsolete :grievance 3

2 a :deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement

his grief over his son's death

b :a cause of such suffering

life's joys and griefs

3 a :an unfortunate outcome :disaster —used chiefly in the phrase come to grief

b :mishap, misadventure

c :trouble, annoyance

enough grief for one day

d :annoying or playful criticism

getting grief from his friends

See grief defined for English-language learners

See grief defined for kids

Examples of grief in a Sentence

He has been unable to recover from his grief at his son's death.
She was overcome with grief.
the joys and griefs of our lives
I've had enough grief for one day.
Trying to fix the computer isn't worth the grief.
He's taken a lot of grief from his friends.
His friends have been giving him a lot of grief.

Recent Examples of grief from the Web

Nikita Murray, 16, took the GCSE (a British secondary school examination) in the face of unfathomable grief.

— ashley paige, Teen Vogue, "Manchester Bombing Victim’s Sister Celebrated for Acing Exams," 24 Aug. 2017
Both the Tour of Kansas City and USA Cycling expressed grief on social media after the crash.

— joe robertson, kansascity, "Wrongful death suit filed by family of cyclist killed in Kansas City race," 19 Aug. 2017
Early on, after her son’s death when the grief was raw and fresh, Micheshia thought about suicide.

— tessa weinberg, The Courier-Journal, "‘Seeing blood on the walls’: Mother of 7-year-old killed by stray bullet struggles with private heartache," 16 Aug. 2017
In the years following Princess Diana’s fatal car crash on August 31, 1997, her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, remained notably silent about her tragic death, refusing to make any sort of official statement about their grief.

— chanel vargas, Town & Country, "How Prince William and Prince Harry Reacted to Their Mother's Death," 14 Aug. 2017
Those who gathered in Rockfield Park expressed not only their grief over the loss of life, but also a resolve to defeat the forces of white nationalism and to stand up for the minority groups who are the primary targets of racist violence.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Bel Air vigil for Charlottesville victims draws more than 200," 14 Aug. 2017
But Harry is going beyond just talking about his grief.

— Vogue, "How Prince Harry and Princess Victoria Are Making Honesty the New Royal Policy," 11 July 2017
Meanwhile, Majora’s Mask delved into loss and grief as ancillary characters come to terms with their deaths in light of a looming natural disaster.

— karen han, The Atlantic, "Coming of Age With The Legend of Zelda," 2 July 2017
There were no prepared remarks or carefully recited poems at a Friday night (June 30) vigil on Chef Menteur Highway -- just the deep wails and sobs of raw grief at the loss of a 2-year-old girl described by family as a happy, energetic child.

— laura mcknight, NOLA.com, "2-year-old girl killed in crash following police chase mourned at vigil," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grief.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grief

Middle English gref, from Anglo-French gref, grief injustice, calamity, from gref, adjective heavy, grievous, from Vulgar Latin *grevis, alteration of Latin gravis — see grieve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

grief Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of grief

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind. sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

- a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

- the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

- the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

- cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

- nagging regret for missed opportunities

GRIEF Defined for English Language Learners

grief

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noun

Definition of grief for English Language Learners

: deep sadness caused especially by someone's death
: a cause of deep sadness
: trouble or annoyance

GRIEF Defined for Kids

grief

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noun \ ˈgrēf \

Definition of grief for Students

1 :very deep sorrow

2 :a cause of sorrow

The dog was nothing but grief to its owner.

3 :things that cause problems

I've had enough grief for one day.

4 :an unfortunate happening

The boat came to grief on the rocks.

Medical Dictionary

grief

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noun \ ˈgrēf \

medical Definition of grief

:deep and poignant emotional distress caused by or as if by bereavement

Although, there is no consensus on the defining features that would distinguish normal and pathological grief, it is generally accepted that grief becomes pathological when the reactions are excessive, prolonged, or unresolved.
—Jaye Wald and Rosemarie Alvaro, The Journal of Rehabilitation, 1 Oct. 2004

; also :a cause of such suffering