grieve

verb \ ˈgrēv \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

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

Why families say no to organ donation Washington's conversations with grieving families don't always go so smoothly.

— will higgins, Indianapolis Star, "To save lives, they must ask grieving families a difficult question," 12 Apr. 2018
Laurio grieves most over the deaths that have piled up in the wake of Duterte’s drug war – and the war of perception being waged online over the killings.

— jessica mendoza, The Christian Science Monitor, "In the Philippines, divided politics feed – and feed on – a divided web," 9 Apr. 2018
Helen Hunt plays Bresnahan, with William Hurt as Found's grieving father.

— chris foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New movies: 'A Quiet Place,' John Cena's 'Blockers,' Latin film festivals and more," 5 Apr. 2018
Boys volleyball players, grieving since Tuesday, honored senior Alex DePriest on Thursday night before their home match against Gilbert Highland.

— richard obert, azcentral, "Desert Vista volleyball team honors Alex DePriest before match," 5 Apr. 2018
Dave Hecht, spokesman for Naval Air Force Atlantic, said the squadron took the day off from training Thursday in order to grieve.

— Bloomberg.com, "Navy Jet Crashes Off Key West, Killing 2 Crew Members," 16 Mar. 2018
In 1955, Mamie Till Mobley, the grieving mother of 14-year old Emmett Till, made a controversial and fateful decision.

— ellen mcgirt, Fortune, "raceAhead: Another Day, Another School Shooting," 12 Feb. 2018
Steve Carell plays the grieving father in church mouse mode.

— chris ball, cleveland.com, "'Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,' now on DVD and Blu-ray (review)," 4 Feb. 2018
Advocate Condell Medical Center Bereavement Group: This is a support group for widows, widowers, significant others or anyone grieving the death of someone close.

— Lake County News-Sun, "Calendar," 29 Mar. 2018

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

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

grieve Synonyms

Synonyms

agonize, anguish, bleed, hurt, mourn, sorrow, suffer;

Near Antonyms

beam, cheer, crow, delight, exult, glory, joy, laugh, ravish, rejoice, triumph;

assure, cheer, comfort, commiserate, console, reassure, solace, soothe, sympathize;

rack, torment, torture;

bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament, rue;

bawl, blubber, cry, groan, howl, keen, moan, sob, take on, wail, weep, yammer, yowl;

languish;

regret;

Phrases

eat one's heart out, tear one's hair;

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

—