GRIEF Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'grief' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of grief are anguish , regret , sorrow , and woe . While all these words mean "distress of mind," grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause. // the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

Q: When is it sensible to use 'anguish' instead of 'grief'?

The meanings of anguish and grief largely overlap; however, anguish suggests torturing grief or dread. // the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

Q: When would 'regret' be a good substitute for 'grief'?

The words regret and grief are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse. // nagging regret for missed opportunities

Q: When is 'sorrow' a more appropriate choice than 'grief'?

While the synonyms sorrow and grief are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse. // a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

Q: When might 'woe' be a better fit than 'grief'?

The synonyms woe and grief are sometimes interchangeable, but woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery. // cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

grief

noun

ˈgrēf

Definition of grief

as in sorrow

deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved even the gruff grandfather felt a heartbreaking grief when the family dog died

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in frustration

the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts there seemed to be no end to the grief that the school bullies were giving to the young boy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word grief different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of grief are anguish, regret, sorrow, and woe. While all these words mean "distress of mind," grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

When is it sensible to use anguish instead of grief?

The meanings of anguish and grief largely overlap; however, anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

When would regret be a good substitute for grief?

The words regret and grief are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

When is sorrow a more appropriate choice than grief?

While the synonyms sorrow and grief are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

When might woe be a better fit than grief?

The synonyms woe and grief are sometimes interchangeable, but woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

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 grief In bitterness and grief, Jay goes scuba diving to recover his father’s body and gets swallowed by a sperm whale. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 As grief gripped the neighborhood, announcements broadcast over mosque loudspeakers urged residents to attend mass funeral prayers for those killed at the nearby Rehman Baba cemetery. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 In the bathroom, Steele placed a pair of Prada shoes and a white Prada bag with a water fountain installed in each as a statement on the life cycle of grief. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 But that’s preferable to the movie’s swerve into saccharine grief therapy, as Jay starts communing with Mitt once the dead dad and the whale become a single soul. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grief

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grief

Noun

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said on her personal Facebook page that the incident left her filled with sorrow.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Like many songwriters who’ve ever poured their romantic sorrows out in their music, the challenge in this new era was getting acquainted with writing from a place of happiness instead, which can be a source of anxiety itself.

— Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of sorrow

Noun

Demonstrators expressed widespread frustration and anger at the government as gasoline, energy and food prices have spiked in recent months.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
That's despite voter frustration over high prices and the Iran war, and his own challenge of leading one of narrowest House majorities in modern times.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of frustration

Noun

Set to a downtempo bachata, the track features Lorén’s penetrating vocals filled with anguish at the impossible cycle of working endlessly to make ends meet.

— Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

The tweet ended with an emoji of a man facepalming, conveying Johnson’s exasperation over the last play of Washington’s 27-27 tie with the New York Giants.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
But through a bit of TV fame, and Ramsay’s signature yelling, ranting, exasperation and, in the end, brotherly wisdom, perhaps its restaurant dreams can come true.

— Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of exasperation

Noun

The cream caused minimal skin irritation, and the drug was detected in the blood of very few participants, according to the company.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
My irritation was not with the charge itself but with how some of the commentaries about it invoked as evidence Vance’s wish to be buried in the country graveyard where generations of his ancestors already rest.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of irritation

Noun

We are connected across continents in milliseconds, but too often separated by fear, anger, and mistrust.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
For property owners who poured their life savings into Camelot, the arrival of heavy machinery brings mounting anger over how local authorities handled the complex's long, troubled decline.

— La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of anger

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gridlocks

grief

griefs

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“Grief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grief. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of grief

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