1
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a grim and desolate landscape a grim and short-tempered shopkeeper who didn't exactly invite friendly conversation
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2
as in harsh
difficult to endure
this winter is supposed to be particularly grim, so stock up on firewood
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3
as in relentless
showing no signs of slackening or yielding in one's purpose
with grim determination, the woman worked three jobs to put her fatherless children through college
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4
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
grim warriors heading into battle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grim
An innocent fellow named TimMet a zombie quite horrid and grim.
—
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Her options for 2026 are looking grim.
—NPR, 26 Oct. 2025
As travelers crave experiences over ordinary stays, hotels that have transformed grim to glam are now embracing their bizarre and sometimes haunted histories, even hosting weddings and wellness retreats.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Orbán is now reckoning with the grim consequences of his own energy policy.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grim
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Her options for 2026 are looking grim.
—NPR, 26 Oct. 2025
As travelers crave experiences over ordinary stays, hotels that have transformed grim to glam are now embracing their bizarre and sometimes haunted histories, even hosting weddings and wellness retreats.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Orbán is now reckoning with the grim consequences of his own energy policy.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grim
Adjective
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But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Instead of buying special cleaners or reaching for harsh chemicals to clean around your home, look to your medicine cabinet for a solution.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Narrative has a seemingly relentless, ungovernable momentum, but humans retain a control over war stories that does not extend to war itself.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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The title, cowritten with her longtime stylist Meredith Koop, chronicles how the wife of the first Black president of the United States meticulously dressed for the job — and all the celebration and relentless scrutiny that came with that.—
Janine Rubenstein,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The warm, relatable territory where the first season ends up doesn’t fully square with the savage satire promised by the pilot.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
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August Strindberg’s savage chamber drama gets transported to Ireland in Liv Ullmann’s sharp, surprisingly suspenseful adaptation.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Its 42-foot Torpedo RS is built with a more dramatic hourglass profile, enhanced by stylish stern winglets that deliver sharper turns and a drier ride in swells.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
26 Oct. 2025
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China conducted military exercises in Serbia in July despite stern warnings from the European Union, and Belgrade provides Beijing with a security foothold in Europe.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Now, Alesta is determined to destroy the beast that took her friend from her by traveling to Hell.—
Brittany Johnson,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
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Hezbollah remains determined to maintain control over Lebanon and suppress other communities.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Just a big ferocious ball of meat, claws, and teeth.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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Though the storm did not make a direct hit on Haiti, its ferocious rains caused rivers to flood and jump their banks.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grim. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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