grieve

verb \ ˈgrēv \

Definition of grieve

grieved; grieving

transitive verb

1 :to cause to suffer :distress

it grieves me to see him this way

2 :to feel or show grief over

grieving the death of her son

3 :to submit a formal grievance concerning

grieve a dismissal

intransitive verb

:to feel grief :sorrow

still grieving over their mother's death

—

griever

noun

See grieve defined for English-language learners

See grieve defined for kids

Examples of grieve in a Sentence

It grieves me to see my brother struggling like this.
Her decision to live overseas grieved her mother.
People need time to grieve after the death of a family member.
The children are still grieving the death of their mother.

Recent Examples of grieve from the Web

Figueroa, Leo’s great nephew, has been grieving the death of Leo’s daughter, Jamie, who succumbed to Huntington’s disease, the same ailment that killed Leo 20 years prior.

— seerat sohi, SI.com, "How the NBA Was Saved on the Back of a Napkin," 28 Aug. 2017
Our hearts and prayers go out to them in this difficult time, and our entire law enforcement community grieves with them.

— laura mcknight, NOLA.com, "NOPD traffic-fatality investigator mourned after fatal heart attack," 23 Aug. 2017
Megan O’Grady is on a mission to bring a little joy into the lives of grieving families of fallen police officers.

— Southern Living, "Cape Coral Teen Makes Teddy Bears For Families Of Fallen Police Officers," 23 Aug. 2017
To my African American brothers and sisters: I am grieved and angry that once again, bigoted people are using violence and hatred to deny you opportunity, equality and dignity.

— scott arbeiter, Washington Post, "As a white evangelical leader, I have said too little on racism. I ask forgiveness.," 17 Aug. 2017
As the political and emotional shock waves from the violence continued to roil the nation, Heyer's family and friends filled the front rows, rising by turns to grieve and to galvanize.

— Alaska Dispatch News, "Hundreds mourn for Heather Heyer, killed during protest in Charlottesville," 17 Aug. 2017
Besides, couldn’t two different people grieve differently and both still be considered normal?

— lori gottlieb, The Cut, "What Your Therapist Really Thinks: ‘Am I Normal?’," 14 July 2017
The still-grieving mother from Delray Beach will even testify for Durham’s defense against first-degree murder and other felony charges connected to Peak’s Nov. 5 drowning in Lake Park.

— marc freeman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Trial begins for Delray Beach man accused of murder in friend's drowning," 10 July 2017
Till’s grieving mother, Mamie Till Mobley, who insisted her son’s remains be returned to Chicago after his lynching in Money, Mississippi and drowning in the Tallahatchie River.

— danielle jackson, Longreads, "Zadie Smith Takes on Black Pain With a Light Touch," 28 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of grieve

Middle English greven, from Anglo-French grever, from Latin gravare to burden, from gravis heavy, grave; akin to Greek barys heavy, Sanskrit guru

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

grieve Synonyms

Synonyms

agonize, anguish, bleed, hurt, mourn, sorrow, suffer, eat one's heart out, tear one's hair

Related Words

ache, long (for), pine (away), sigh, smart; rack, torment, torture; bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament, rue; bawl, blubber, cry, groan, howl, keen, moan, sob, take on, wail, weep, yammer, yowl; languish; regret

Near Antonyms

beam, cheer, crow, delight, exult, glory, joy, laugh, ravish, rejoice, triumph; assure, cheer, comfort, commiserate, console, reassure, solace, soothe, sympathize

GRIEVE Defined for English Language Learners

grieve

verb

Definition of grieve for English Language Learners

: to cause (someone) to feel sad or unhappy
: to feel or show grief or sadness

GRIEVE Defined for Kids

grieve

verb \ ˈgrēv \

Definition of grieve for Students

grieved; grieving

1 :to feel or show grief

a grieving widow

2 :to cause grief to

Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins …
—L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz

Medical Dictionary

grieve

verb \ ˈgrēv \

medical Definition of grieve

grieved; grieving

transitive verb

:to feel or show grief over

grieving the death of her son

intransitive verb

:to feel grief

Each member of a family is likely to grieve differently, creating great potential for conflict.
—Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic Monthly, September 1997