grim

adjective

ˈgrim How to pronounce grim (audio)
Definition of grimnext
1
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance a grim and desolate landscape a grim and short-tempered shopkeeper who didn't exactly invite friendly conversation

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2
as in harsh
difficult to endure this winter is supposed to be particularly grim, so stock up on firewood

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3
as in relentless
showing no signs of slackening or yielding in one's purpose with grim determination, the woman worked three jobs to put her fatherless children through college

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4
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition grim warriors heading into battle

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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 grim The blaze carried a grim resonance in a region where the 2018 Mati wildfire killed 104 people, Europe’s deadliest blaze this century. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026 These grim discoveries came out of a brief buddy-cop partnership between Anna and Crystal. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026 Recent headlines have been grim for Gen Z’s prospects in the job market. — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 At the picnic table, Anna then turns to look over her shoulder, and the screen cuts to X-ray vision, the music goes grim and the finale ends. — Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grim
  1. gruff
  2. harsh
  3. relentless
  4. savage
  5. stern
  6. tough
  7. determined
  8. ferocious
Adjective
  • Matt Damon plays Odysseus as a gruff, practical tactician, rather than an energetically inventive and morally dubious schemer.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The New Zealander drew international acclaim for roles as gruff loners and unhinged villains.
    — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • In both premise and execution, the show is hugely reminiscent of the Showtime series of the aughts and early 2010s that featured women in harsh circumstances going to extremes in order to get one over on a society that didn’t care about them.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Although he would not be drawn on future product pricing, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are set for release in September and will be affected by the harsh trading conditions.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Much of the tension comes from Shaw’s relentless badgering of Dreyfuss, a dynamic that can grow somewhat repetitive as the play progresses.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
  • The food and beverage industry is shifting its focus from relentless novelty to leveraging familiarity and consumer trust.
    — Louis Biscotti, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of relentless
Adjective
  • The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • Most include a warning of no refunds and a stern caution to know the limits of one’s own taste buds—something too many poor souls choose to ignore.
    — Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
  • There’s also hints of vulnerability and genuine tenderness in her stern headmistress of the bedroom, which Wilde slips in just slyly enough to let the presence of a heart peek through all the brainy brashness and hormone overload.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • The city's local Democratic lawmakers claim that the tough-on-crime policies only temporarily reduced crime while troop presence was at its peak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Lopez and multiple bullpen arms got out of tough jams to limit the Red Sox 16 baserunners across the first nine innings to just two runs, only one earned.
    — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the Philippines keeps showing the world how a determined state can fight and win on the legal battlefield.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Having spent decades watching powerful men evade justice, Nora is doubly determined to bring this one down, and regards Catherine’s vigilantism as an obstacle to a larger victory.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Definition of determined
Adjective
  • To the world, McRae is a strong, fearless entertainer, a triple threat who can pen songs that recall the fizzy pop of the early aughts and bring them to life as a ferocious singer and dancer.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • In 1970, Milton Friedman’s ferocious political essay in the New York Times, and the agency-theorizing that followed provided sufficient intellectual justification.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of ferocious

Browse Nearby Words

grills
grim
grimace
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Cite this Entry

“Grim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grim. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grim for Spanish Speakers

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