GRIEVING Synonyms: 181 Similar and Opposite Words

grieving 1 of 3

adjective

as in weeping

expressing or suggesting mourning the grieving sobs of the widow could be heard throughout the funeral service

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grieving

2 of 3

noun

as in mourning

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Dissimilar Words

grieving

3 of 3

verb

present participle of grieve

as in aching

to feel deep sadness or mental pain we all grieved over the lost cat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 grieving

Adjective

There’s so much more loss, so much more grieving, many more regrets. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2026

Noun

Or that most people know him only as a grieving spouse, and he was elected out of sympathy? — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 This horrendous act leads a grieving but determined Ruthye to Kara Zor-El, dead set on exacting revenge for the killings and using our Supergirl to help get her to the culprit. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 June 2026 Sallie West has since opened her front door to the grieving. — Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026 Traumatized into silence, the de facto orphan stays living with the kindly but guilt-ridden, grieving and impecunious Hiroshi. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026 The grieving in the sense of mourning and crying and all that might stop, but the pain is going to be there. — Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026 Is this part of a process of grieving or one of denial? — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026 The search for answers is one step in a long grieving process. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 Hughes remembered as a spiritual leader While there have been public honors for Hughes – his smiling yearbook photo was displayed on the scoreboard overlooking the football field – much of the grieving in this community of about 200,000 people is playing out in private. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026

Verb

This is really a lovely, meaningful approach to grieving, self-healing and to creating space where people can meditate and breathe and feel connected. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026 For people like us grieving the passing of a furry friend, and others who have a fondness for dogs but not be ready to own one, programs like Barks & Recreation can serve a valuable purpose. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2026 All day Friday, an outpouring of love from the grieving community grew as tributes piled up outside the Lakewood Police Department for fallen officer Nick Graham. — Olivia Young, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026 Lee, meanwhile, functions as exasperated colleague, grieving friend, and increasingly, minder, as his mentor’s memory begins to slip, sometimes returning loudly in moments of unguarded truth—or perhaps deathbed confessions. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026 When Lee mentions Nathan Spence was meant to attend the program, Jed barely flinches, expressing sympathy for the boy’s confused and grieving mother. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026 At the time, Daptone was grieving their star vocalist Sharon Jones and wasn’t officially working with new acts, while the sisters got tangled in a bad deal with another manager. — Natelegé Whaley, VIBE.com, 3 Nov. 2026 In this contemporary fantasy, grieving daughter Hattie returns to Seattle for the first time in the two years since her mother’s death. — Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026 The series showcases a town torn apart by heinous crimes, while centering Jonah, a grieving man determined to get answers by any means necessary. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grieving

Adjective

And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.

— David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.

— Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021

Definition of weeping

Noun

Official mourning declared after Monday’s attacks Three days of mourning were declared in Zaporizhzhia.

— Derek Gatopoulos, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
The daytime talk show space is in mourning, following the death last week of longtime TV producer Matt Wright.

— Alexandra Del Rosario Contact Nov. 3, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of mourning

Verb

Some women develop aching joints, headaches or pelvic pain seemingly out of the blue during perimenopause, or the menopausal transition, while others find that existing chronic pain conditions become harder to manage.

— Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
Moments of mutual support and understanding, of belly-aching laughter and silliness, of care and deep love.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of aching

Adjective

On Tuesday, the classic served as a funeral dirge for the roughly 800 people present who backed Hilton.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
The funeral car draped with floral arrangements arrived slowly to the church in the town of Navahermosa in central Spain.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of funeral

Noun

Beauty shows that suffering is not the whole of reality and offers true consolation.

— Stephen Doran, STAT, 5 Nov. 2026
Cut off from its Venezuelan lifeline and without electricity for all but a few hours a day, the economic hardships and human suffering in Cuba have dramatically worsened in recent months.

— Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of suffering

Verb

By the 11th game of the third set, Keys was hitting herself in the head with her racket, taking her cap off and sighing deep breaths that were either meant to steady her or out of exasperation.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The soundtrack—by the frequent Hans Zimmer collaborator David Fleming—is a delight, a polyphonic mood board of ghost-clangs, spooky bassoons, lyrical electro-motifs, and sighing sea themes.

— James Parker, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of sighing

Adjective

The heartbroken dad wasn’t home when the child fell out the window.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
The death of Sir Patrick Stewart has left Hollywood heartbroken as his co-stars, colleagues, and fellow actors recall rare encounters, days on set, and priceless advice the acting legend shared with them.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Noun

At his Austin watch party, supporters celebrated the results with cheers, dancing and tears.

— Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Supporters cried tears of joy and hugged one another, sharing political news of the city and also the country, as the energy in the crowd further amped up seemingly every half-hour.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of tears

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“Grieving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grieving. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of grieving

adjective

noun

verb

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