gruesome

adjective

grue·​some ˈgrü-səm 

variants or less commonly grewsome

: inspiring horror or repulsion : grisly

gruesome stories of wounded comrades

gruesomely adverb

gruesomeness noun

Synonyms of gruesome

• horrific
• shocking
• horrible
• nightmare
• horrifying
• terrible
• frightening
• terrific
• terrifying
• dreadful

Choose the Right Synonym for gruesome

ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect.

ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

Examples of gruesome in a Sentence

The police report described the scene in gruesome detail.

didn't stick around to hear the gruesome details of the car accident

Recent Examples on the Web

Details of the 14-year-old’s gruesome death had been hidden from public view for months, after law enforcement agencies went to court to block the medical examiner from releasing her autopsy results. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026

In the case of judo star Alice Bellandi, who plays herself here, that would be a recurring knee problem requiring invasive surgery — witnessed up close in gruesome operating room footage — followed by months of painful PT. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026

Sitting in a wheelchair, dressed in a black jacket, pants and a white shirt, Marcelin, 87, sat at the defense table in Brooklyn Supreme Court Monday, on trial for the gruesome murder of Susan Leyden, whose headless and limbless torso was discovered on a Brooklyn street in 2022. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026

The gruesome video showed Hersh bleeding and being forced into a truck with the bone of his left forearm sticking out. —Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier growsome, from English dialect grow, grue to shiver, from Middle English gruen, probably from Middle Dutch grūwen; akin to Old High German ingrūēn to shiver

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gruesome

adjective

grue·​some ˈgrü-səm 

: causing horror or disgust : horrible

gruesomely adverb

gruesomeness noun