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
He was later charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, the Metropolitan Police announced.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 May 2025
In these last 250 years, our country has made many grievous errors, starting with slavery, which would require a bloody Civil War to end.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025
Amidst the global rout of markets, Taiwanese energy companies’ losses were far more grievous than the worldwide average.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Yet the idea that something that grievous could simply be healed or erased does not make sense in my world.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 May 2025
In these last 250 years, our country has made many grievous errors, starting with slavery, which would require a bloody Civil War to end.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025
Amidst the global rout of markets, Taiwanese energy companies’ losses were far more grievous than the worldwide average.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Yet the idea that something that grievous could simply be healed or erased does not make sense in my world.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
-
The team opened the year with some question marks at third base and those questions have persisted after a harsh injury to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm landed on the injured list earlier this month after suffering a high-grade strain to his right oblique.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 May 2025
-
Avoid harsh products: Soaps, lotions, and products with fragrance, alcohol, or dyes can dry out the skin and worsen atopic dermatitis.—
Health,
Health,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
The alternative — a world in which the United States and China no longer engage in trade — could be economically painful and destabilizing.—
Alan Rappeport,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
-
Appearance: The condition starts as small, extremely painful blisters on your shins (and sometimes your arms).—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Maddison is responsible for dropping deep and pinging passes into dangerous areas, while Kulusevski and Bergvall are excellent ball-carriers.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
-
In the movie, Cruise’s Ethan Hunt must face his most dangerous enemy yet in the form of an AI known as the Entity.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
The story has crushingly tragic elements and contemplates the big mysteries of life and death through a spiritual lens.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
-
Throwing the whole weight of government and community toward violence reduction is Chicago’s best bet in efforts to reduce the frequency and tragic costs of gun violence.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Set in 2019 Los Angeles, Akil’s update paints a searing portrait of the issues faced by teenagers today, exploring the social media age and how, via the race-swapping of the leads, Black kids come of age in white America.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
8 May 2025
-
As one more analogous reference, the need to manage hows reminds me of great literature, in particular, Viktor Frankl’s searing memoir Man’s Search For Meaning.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
Adjective
-
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
The cities with some of the highest rates of poverty and the most people of color have borne the burden of the state’s hazardous waste facilities.—
Sarah McCoy,
Hartford Courant,
18 May 2025
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For species such as the American elm, summer pruning is widely recognized as hazardous.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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None of his previous work has been released in the U.S., which is unfortunate because Demoustier (brother of the talented actress Anaïs) is one of those rare French filmmakers who can blend suspense with perceptive writing and characterization, resulting in artsy thrillers that dig deep.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
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The coworker that went through this in particular took two more weeks unpaid, which in my opinion is also incredibly unfortunate.—
Jordan Fennell,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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