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
The idea that residents should trust a city coming off 30 years of grievous management errors to handle this task well is hard to believe.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
Chris Brown entered a not guilty plea in his grievous bodily harm case this morning at a court in London.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 20 June 2025
Alison is so committed to her ideals that even acting them out feels like a grievous compromise; better to keep them on the wall, like the giant taxidermied moose head that quietly rolls its eyes as Alison thumbs glumly through Capital.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
The 36-year-old American star — currently on tour in Europe — is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abraham Diaw just hours after performing to thousands at a venue in Cardiff, Wales.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
Chris Brown entered a not guilty plea in his grievous bodily harm case this morning at a court in London.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 20 June 2025
Alison is so committed to her ideals that even acting them out feels like a grievous compromise; better to keep them on the wall, like the giant taxidermied moose head that quietly rolls its eyes as Alison thumbs glumly through Capital.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
The 36-year-old American star — currently on tour in Europe — is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abraham Diaw just hours after performing to thousands at a venue in Cardiff, Wales.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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After weeks of acrimony, concern and harsh statements, the dispute over who will control the River Forest Civic Center building at 8020 W. Madison seems to be headed toward a resolution.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Once tooth enamel is lost, the tooth nerves are exposed, which is painful and makes the teeth sensitive.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Although the condition itself isn’t typically painful, raw or blistered skin can lead to pain and swelling.7 Secondary skin infections—like if a blister is exposed to bacteria and gets infected—can also cause painful symptoms.—
Sarah Bradley,
Health,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That said, the Revolution had promising spells of attacking play and even looked the more dangerous side in the first half.—
Julian Cardillo,
Boston Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
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In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In June of that year, the CDC began following this strange and tragic phenomenon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
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That year, millions of people all around the world consumed his work in incredible numbers following his sudden and tragic passing.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The pans have spacious surface areas for better searing and browning, and the cooking surface isn’t particularly sticky either.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 July 2025
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About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The pace of the 2025 fires is reminiscent of the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season, which exposed millions of people in North America to hazardous smoke levels.—
Jun Wang,
Space.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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The collapse of the bridge also caused hazardous debris to enter the Colorado River waterway.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The fishermen were forced to abandon the Titan after a series of unfortunate events hit the ship.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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After the unfortunate withdrawal of U.S. Classic bars champion Myli Lew in podium training, the women’s bars title is even more up for grabs.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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