grave 1 of 3

noun

ˈgrāv How to pronounce grave (audio)
Definition of gravenext
1
as in tomb
a final resting place for a dead person the forlorn boy put flowers on his mother's grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in death
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities a rock star who found his early grave in a plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dead
the state of being dead a terrible fear of the grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grave

2 of 3

adjective

ˈgrāv How to pronounce grave (audio)
1
as in serious
having a matter of importance as its topic leaving gossip and celebrities to other magazines, this journal focuses on the grave issues confronting the nation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury going over Niagara Falls poses a grave danger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner when I asked him how his dog was doing, he looked grave and said, "Not good"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deep
having a low musical pitch or range a grave hexachord

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grave

3 of 3

verb

ˈgrāv How to pronounce grave (audio)
as in to etch
to cut (as letters or designs) on a hard surface the doomed climber graved his initials into the rock face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grave different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of grave are earnest, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When can earnest be used instead of grave?

The synonyms earnest and grave are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Where would sedate be a reasonable alternative to grave?

The words sedate and grave can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When would serious be a good substitute for grave?

While the synonyms serious and grave are close in meaning, serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

In what contexts can sober take the place of grave?

Although the words sober and grave have much in common, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When is solemn a more appropriate choice than grave?

The words solemn and grave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When might staid be a better fit than grave?

In some situations, the words staid and grave are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grave
Noun
So to go to his grave with his dark secrets unrevealed and his reputation intact would be some small comfort in his afterlife. —Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025 At Hollywood Forever, the final resting place of Hollywood and music stars such as Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Johnny Ramone, films are projected onto a mausoleum wall and moviegoers sit and sprawl on the cemetery’s Fairbanks Lawn (an open area with no graves). —Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
There have been several ancient Roman grave discoveries in the past year. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025 The author comes from a family of grave stonemasons in the small French village of Bray-sur-Seine. —Heller McAlpin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
Better yet, the superstar—who recently graved our TV screens on The White Lotus—worked with stylist Brett Alan Nelson to deliver custom outfits for the set. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grave
  1. tomb
  2. death
  3. dead
  4. serious
  5. dangerous
  6. solemn
  7. deep
  8. etch
Noun
  • Who determined which Egyptians were buried in the tombs?
    — Jeff Campagna, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025
  • He was laid to rest on Saturday at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in a simple tomb as requested by the late pontiff, following a funeral Mass on the steps of the St. Peter’s Basilica that drew heads of state, royalty and hundreds of thousands of mourners.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of tomb
Noun
  • Here's what to know about the death of Skype, including more information on why Microsoft decided to pull the plug.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • In a statement Saturday, attorneys representing the Hinton family said they were hired to investigate the death of Ryan Hinton and that Rodney Hinton, along with other family members, met with Cincinnati police on Friday to view body camera footage of his shooting death.
    — Victoria Arancio, ABC News, 3 May 2025
Definition of death
Noun
  • However, because the Romans cremated their dead for many years, archaeologists have not found many gladiator bodies.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
  • During her search for Joel outside of Jackson, Abby wakes up Infected who, now evolved enough to strategize, have been using their dead as insulation in the snowy mountains surrounding the town.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of dead
Adjective
  • But legal experts said a criminal contempt finding would be a serious step to be avoided.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • The restaurant sector must get in the game in order to make a serious dent on improving customer health.
    — Hank Cardello, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of serious
Adjective
  • The Jets were at their most dangerous when Vilardi could choose between Connor across the slot, Nikolaj Ehlers in the middle, or a net-front drive of his own.
    — Murat Ates, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • The album calls out what Young sees as dangerous overreach by corporate interests into food systems and public health.
    — Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2025
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Far from solemn, the atmosphere has turned into a party of thousands.
    — Katie Primm, NBC news, 9 May 2025
  • Over the decades, observance of V-E Day in the West has assumed a more muted, solemn tone.
    — Noah Rothman, National Review, 8 May 2025
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • The Orioles scored the first run of the game in the second inning when Ramón Laureano ripped an RBI double to deep center.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Lucas Walsh, a youth political behavior expert, said that cost-of-living pressures and a deep distrust in both major parties are fueling Gen Z's volatility.
    — Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
Definition of deep
Verb
  • Given how serene progress has been on the pitch and with a squad that is now fully fit and competing on all fronts, an image of Emery — a walking deity in most supporters’ minds — climbing those Wembley steps to lift the cup would be forever etched into memory.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • For a chip design firm, a particular wafer or etching tool may be sourced through a vendor who relies on imports from China or Southeast Asia.
    — Kevin Carroll, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of etch

Browse Nearby Words

gratuity
grave
graved
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grave. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on grave

Nglish: Translation of grave for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All