grievous

adjective

griev·ous | \ ˈgrē-vəs

Definition of grievous

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

Other Words from grievous Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about grievous

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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

Last month, 56-year-old John Dugdale walked into a police station and later pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm. — Fox News, "Road rage attack victim says he wants to 'see the idiot who did this to me'," 25 June 2019 Bigtree has no medical credentials but holds himself out as an expert on vaccine safety and promotes the idea that government officials have colluded with the pharmaceutical industry to cover up grievous harms from the drugs. — The Washington Post, The Mercury News, "Meet the New York couple donating millions to the anti-vax movement," 19 June 2019 Bigtree has no medical credentials but holds himself out as an expert on vaccine safety and promotes the idea that government officials have colluded with the pharmaceutical industry to cover up grievous harms from the drugs. — Amy Brittain, Twin Cities, "Meet the New York couple donating millions to the anti-vax movement," 19 June 2019 Bigtree has no medical credentials but holds himself out as an expert on vaccine safety and promotes the idea that government officials have colluded with the pharmaceutical industry to cover up grievous harms from the drugs. — Washington Post, "Meet the New York couple donating millions to the anti-vax movement," 19 June 2019 Yet Jarmusch, in his hyperbolic fiction, goes even farther than Wiseman does, presenting a view of public spaces that reflects the town’s grievous failures of private life. — Paige Williams, The New Yorker, "“The Dead Don’t Die,” Reviewed: Jim Jarmusch’s Fiercely Political Zombie Comedy," 14 June 2019 Metropolitan Police said in a press release Friday that the alleged attackers are between 15 and 18 years old and were arrested on suspicion of robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm. — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, "Four teenagers arrested in attack against lesbian couple on a London bus," 7 June 2019 Four teenagers ages 15 to 18 were arrested on Friday on suspicion of robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm, the Metropolitan Police of London said in a statement. — Alan Yuhas, New York Times, "Five Arrested in London Bus Attack on Two Lesbians," 7 June 2019 But after suffering an even more grievous loss than usual, Hollis (Quincy Tyler Bernstine) begins to question God — and also His dialogue. — Jesse Green, New York Times, "Review: ‘The Amateurs’ Takes On God, Noah’s Ark and the Plague. For Laughs.," 27 Feb. 2018

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