grief

noun

1
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
2
a
: trouble, annoyance
enough grief for one day
b
: annoying or playful criticism
getting grief from his friends
c
: an unfortunate outcome : disaster
used chiefly in the phrase come to grief
3
obsolete : grievance sense 2
Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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 on the Web The synopsis reads: What begins as an attempt to bring closure to their grief turns into a nightmare when Lide disappears just as a forest fire breaks out in the area. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2024 But the melodrama is perhaps the point—grief, Rooney recognizes, rarely unspools at anything like a measured pace or intensity. Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2024 Death and grief feel like a heckler ruining your life. Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sep. 2024 This marked a big step forward in Vassos’s grief journey. Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for grief 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gref, grefe, greef, grief "hardship, distress, hurt, anger, sorrow," borrowed from Anglo-French gref "burden, molestation, wrong, hurt, hardship, calamity" (continental Old French grief), noun derivative of gref "heavy, burdensome, harsh, grievous," going back to Vulgar Latin *grevis, alteration (by association with its antonym levis "light in weight") of Latin gravis "heavy, oppressive, serious" — more at grave entry 2

Note: The Anglo-French/Old French noun could alternatively be a derivative of the verb grever—see grieve.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of grief was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near grief

Cite this Entry

“Grief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grief. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

grief

noun
1
a
: deep sorrow : sadness
b
: a cause of sorrow
2
a
: things that cause problems
enough grief for one day
b
: an unfortunate happening
the boat came to grief on the rocks

Medical Definition

grief

noun
: 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
also : a cause of such suffering

More from Merriam-Webster on grief

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