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 Assault and grievous bodily harm charges, which the pair denied, were dropped, as was a charge Brown faced of having an offensive weapon. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 July 2026 In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of assault, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and having an offensive weapon. — CNN Money, 24 July 2026 The singer was arrested in May 2025 and charged with assault, suspicion of grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon (a tequila bottle). — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026 The pair had been charged with more serious offenses of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm and a less serious charge of assault causing actual bodily harm, which the pair had denied and were due to go to trial in October. — Sam Tobin, USA Today, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grievous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous

Adjective

Avoid acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon, as well as harsh chemicals and abrasive tools, to protect the glaze.

— Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 5 Sep. 2026
The frustration within the Democratic caucus immediately prompted some calls for harsh consequences.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Bringing together the private shattering of a home with the epic tale of homecoming offers Gluck a distanced, often ironic, stance on her life’s most painful moments.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Veterinarians diagnosed Cheeto with feline idiopathic cystitis, which causes a painful inflammation of the bladder.

— Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

The most dangerous place on the field in the third quarter was your own 38 yard line!

— Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
ShotSpotter offers targeted detection of a dangerous event versus technology like Flock's indiscriminate collection of innocent people's movements.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

This season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City starts off on an incredibly somber note, given the tragic passing of Mary Crosby’s son, Robert Jr.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
That is not to excuse the recklessness behind the wheel which could feasibly have led to a more serious, potentially tragic incident on the M25 and M3 motorways.

— Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

Like her, Americans are also so tired of being screwed by an administration that’s not only grossly incompetent and cruel but corrupt as well.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Rather than heroic, these costly and horribly uncertain stunts come across callous and cruel.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

That is the unfortunate part of a tenure full of expansion, media-rights billions and two transformational collective bargaining agreements.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Moore and his allies are presenting gerrymandering as an unfortunate response to an acute political crisis, but trying to gerrymander Maryland in favor of Democrats is far from a new effort.

— Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026