grievous

adjective

griev·​ous ˈgrē-vəs 

1

: causing or characterized by severe pain, suffering, or sorrow

a grievous wound

a grievous loss

2

: oppressive, onerous

grievous costs of war

3

: serious, grave

grievous fault

grievously adverb

grievousness noun

Synonyms

• harsh
• searing
• severe
• oppressive
• tough
• brutal
• rough
• hard
• cruel
• grim
• painful

Examples of grievous in a Sentence

the grievous cost of war

He took a foolish financial risk and suffered a grievous loss.

Recent Examples on the Web

Frith, of Sidcup, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on July 8. —Christina Coulter, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025

The cassette futurism / analog-punk aesthetic is on full display here, though Hawley makes a couple grievous errors on this front as well. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025

Polly’s mom and stepfather have already been terminated, and now her dad is determined to save his daughter, if not himself, from grievous bodily harm. —Joe Leydon, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025

Brown denied a more serious count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm at a hearing last month. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English grevous, greveus "oppressive, burdensome, injurious, severe (of sickness, wounds)," borrowed from Anglo-French grevous, grevus (continental Old French grevos), from gref "burden, hardship, grief" + -ous -ous

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

grievous

adjective

griev·​ous ˈgrē-vəs 

1

: heavy entry 1 sense 2, severe

the grievous cost of war

2

: causing pain, suffering, or sorrow

a grievous wound

3

: serious sense 4, grave

a grievous mistake

grievously adverb

grievousness noun