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 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 Mazzer was found guilty on two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and the documents noted that there had been a dispute between Garland and the people who were stabbed. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grievous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous

Adjective

The plan would sanction top Russian leaders and introduce harsh new penalties on nations that purchase oil and natural gas from Russia.

— Claudia Grisales, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
Lebson and Richards ⁠denied that allegation, saying that Robert Gilman was held in extremely harsh conditions, tortured and injected with mind-altering drugs by guards, treatment that led to his transfer to the civilian hospital.

— Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

But for Tran’s family, the arrest revisited a painful, complicated chapter of their lives.

— Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Many have called for empathy and compassion for the situation, while others struggle to reconcile calls for grace with Hilton’s history of profiting from celebrities’ most painful moments.

— Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

Despite Penta's aggressive offense and dangerous maneuvers, Gable persevered, ultimately making Penta submit with a decisive ankle lock, securing a triumphant and emotional victory.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Three wildfires are burning in Spokane County, Washington, and thousands of families have been ordered to flee their homes overnight, as state officials warn of an incredibly dangerous situation and brace for what daylight may reveal.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

The final batch continues to focus on the generations of the Buendía family living amid political infighting in Macondo while building up to the magical-realist masterpiece’s tragic end.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
My Life With the Walter Boys stars Nikki Rodriguez as Jackie Howard, a teenager formerly living in New York City who moves to a small town in Colorado after a tragic accident changes her life forever.

— Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

Arguably the highest-profile contract cancellation for Flock came when the Los Angeles Police Department decided to non-renew its years-long contract with the company, a decision motivated by a searing internal audit of the company’s technology.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
The searing new memoir, ‘The Wound Is Where the Light Enters,’ details Young’s journey from a mandatory life sentence to freedom through self-education and an extraordinary legal fight.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of searing

Adjective

The system also avoided hazardous conditions while controlling the spacecraft’s orientation, showing how autonomous software could reduce dependence on ground commands during military and scientific missions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
Authorities continue to warn the public about the dangers of the Kern River, describing it as extremely hazardous even for experienced swimmers.

— Denis Akbari, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of hazardous

Adjective

That is unfortunate for wagon loyalists, but the V60 gets to leave without an awkward farewell edition or cosmetic gimmicks.

— Josh Max, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
This is especially unfortunate since there’s currently more content mastered in Dolby Vision HDR than in HDR10+, the competing high dynamic range standard.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026