GRIEVOUS Synonyms: 221 Similar and Opposite Words

grievous

adjective

ˈgrē-vəs

Definition of grievous

as in harsh

difficult to endure the months of chemotherapy seemed almost as grievous an affliction as the cancer itself

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury a grievous wound that requires a doctor's immediate attention

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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

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 grievous Brown was originally charged with assault, suspicion of grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon (a tequila bottle). — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2026 Brown and Akinlolu initially were set to face a trial over assault and grievous bodily harm charges, but the charges were later dropped. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026 That June, Brown pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. — Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2026 He was charged with assault, suspicion of grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grievous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous

Adjective

Martha Stewart is asking Americans for forgiveness after her Halloween costume drew harsh criticism.

— Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Held without charge, al-Sakani says he was subjected to harsh conditions, including sleep deprivation, inadequate medical care and the withholding of medication.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Though Awawdeh was friendly, Jontay knew that he was connected to some dangerous associates, including the Gambino crime family in New York.

— New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
But the proliferation of inexpensive first-person-view (FPV) aerial drones has made this incredibly dangerous.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

The tragic killing sparked local protests and urgent calls from community members to end youth violence and bullying.

— Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
Faced with a hole in her life in the shape of her lifelong best friend after a tragic accident, Minnie forms a tight bond with the girl’s British stay-at-home mother, Helen (Sophie Okonedo, luminescent here), mourning on her own.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

That was where the first responders found him—sitting calmly and cross-legged, insulated from the intrusive buzz and searing light of the world around him.

— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 10 Nov. 2026
Why the ridiculous prices are worth it Bob Baffert grabs a water out of a nearby cooler to keep the searing heat and humidity at bay.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of searing

Adjective

Newsom and other opponents of capital punishment have long argued that the process is costly, cruel and discriminatory, with death sentences disproportionately handed down to defendants of color.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
In a cruel twist of fate, the back half of the trailer shows Geoff being affected by severe confusion, sitting outside his house in the cold.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

And previously unseen chemicals hazardous to human health were detected in a quarter of the 49 inhalable products tested by The Times.

— Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Last year, after several delays, the ship was towed the 1,800 miles from Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, where it was stripped of any hazardous materials that could harm the marine environment.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

Before that, the Broncos were a major beneficiary of an unfortunate series of events in the third quarter.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
As the state no longer holds a monopoly on the tools—nor the data—used to keep us safe, an opaque gap between the private and public sectors has opened where unfortunate, and even tragic, events can transpire.

— David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026