1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the months of chemotherapy seemed almost as grievous an affliction as the cancer itself
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2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the death of a spouse can be a grievous loss from which one never recovers
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3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
a grievous wound that requires a doctor's immediate attention
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4
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the grievous cost of the war in human lives weighed heavily on the president's mind
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grievous
And ignoring, for one moment, the grievous setback of Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time goal, that must be rather terrifying for City fans, given the way Project Pep has changed the club for the better.
—
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Following the attack, an unidentified 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and released on bail, according to Leicestershire Police.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
The 54-year-old last month pleaded guilty to charges including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, on what would have been the first day of his trial.
—CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Sudan’s interim president and leader of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is also accused of overseeing grievous violence against civilians.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Following the attack, an unidentified 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and released on bail, according to Leicestershire Police.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
The 54-year-old last month pleaded guilty to charges including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, on what would have been the first day of his trial.
—CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Sudan’s interim president and leader of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is also accused of overseeing grievous violence against civilians.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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Engineers have long searched for efficient electric alternatives that can survive the harsh conditions inside industrial systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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Critics say the danger faced by agents whose names are made public is overblown, almost always limited to harsh and violent words lobbed from behind a laptop or phone screen.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sermon, his mentor, was in the midst of a painful split-up with his creative partner, PMD.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
8 Mar. 2026
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And, if that wasn't painful enough, your retirement savings takes a hit because the loan isn't getting paid back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Standard sensors like cameras and lidar often fail in heavy rain, thick fog, or low light, creating dangerous blind spots.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
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But, even a light glaze can be highly dangerous when driving.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As a Port Charles police detective, Lucky endured a series of tragic storylines over the years, including his struggles with addiction and the death of his wife.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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But nine months of suffering because research for better treatments is lacking is tragic and irresponsible.—
Jason Collins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The scandal caused a searing public spotlight to be cast on UConn Health’s financial management practices.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
28 Feb. 2026
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The series is equal parts sweeping romance and searing exploration of fame and family in the social media age.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That’s the cruel beauty of golf.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Few Iranians will mourn the demise of the cruel and murderous Ayatollah Khamenei or his cohorts, and a large segment of Iranians want the corrupt religious regime gone.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Large equipment can be hazardous to operate safely, and a large stump can outmatch a large skid steer.—
Daniel Scott,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
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Several people wearing hazardous materials gear walking into a home in Irvine where FBI officials are investigating suspicious materials that were found at a home laboratory.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Celta’s experienced striker Borja Iglesias equalized for the home side with his third goal in four games after 25 minutes, and strike partner Iago Aspas was unfortunate to see his shot come back off the post with two minutes remaining as both sides pushed for a winner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos.—
Miriam Balanescu,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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