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 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 During his arraignment a month later, Brown pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, were found guilty by a jury last month of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. — ABC News, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grievous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous

Adjective

It has been said that the Moon is a harsh mistress, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the lunar south pole.

— Space.com Staff, Space.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Maybe, then, Bohm is a lesson for even the harshest skeptics.

— Matt Gelb, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week's hearing.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
The 55-year-old previously missed several weeks of the talk show amid recovery from painful gum surgery.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

On Sunday, storms brought dangerous flash flooding to the area around the Aspen Acres burn scar.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
That makes the world a more dangerous place, where a mistake by just one actor could ignite a regional firestorm, with a US military weakened by Iran unable to ensure American security.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

The lake has also been the site of several tragic drownings in which victims’ remains were never recovered – and may now be coming nearer to the surface.

— Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
The trailer has shots of medical staff treating screaming and severely injured patients, performing chest compressions and Robby consoling a grieving family member who received some tragic news.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

Oleksa watches them from the other end of the camera feed, in the middle of a gnarly interrogation with Kyle and Cruz — the latter silently watching Oleksa go through a cruel facsimile of her own violent recruitment crucible in the first season.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
Murder charge 'cruel and unusual,' advocate says Of cases where a child was unknowingly left in a car, about 41% do not lead to criminal charges against caregivers, Rollins said.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

The combination of volcanic activity and sudden weather changes can make conditions on the mountain particularly hazardous.

— Anna Matranga, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
The destruction of the ozone layer would allow hazardous ultraviolet radiation to rain down on the planet, adding to the series of climate cataclysms that would threaten civilization and most life on Earth.

— Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

That understanding for the narrator is one tinged with mourning for the boy who endured but also the suspect boy who was always there, even before all the unfortunate happenings.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
The first addresses inflammation and irritation (an unfortunate side effect of vitamin C, for some people).

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 17 Aug. 2026