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 In 1995, after a players' strike that cost the '94 postseason, attendance was grim at MLB ballparks. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 His future looked especially grim when Ormund sadistically cut off Corlys' finger – ring and all – to send as proof of life, when just the ring would have sent the message. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 On Friday, authorities completed the grim task of removing all the bodies from the funeral home to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, rolling one body out at a time, wrapped in white bags. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 And so, on one of the grimmest terrains our present has to offer, Stever arrives at her brightest film to date. — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 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
  • His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Pangan remembers of Brun, imitating his gruff voice, and shaking her head.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • The documentary spotlighted some harsh criticisms of the show and of Banks.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Now, amid the harsh reality of NBA life for those on the fringes, Thompson is off to the security of a contract in Serbia, to play in the EuroLeague.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • The Cubs have been relentless against lefties this season, and that pressure continued Wednesday with lefty Jackson Kent, a Lake Park graduate from Hanover Park, making his major-league debut for the Nationals.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of relentless
Adjective
  • The savage battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa had already demonstrated the ferocity with which Japanese forces would defend their homeland.
    — James M. Scott, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The lifestyle mogul made a savage comment about Meghan Markle in a cover story for PEOPLE on Wednesday, calling out her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • There, her stern Granny and poised Aunt Helen (Genevieve O’Reilly) are horrified by her lack of refinement and her indifference about finding a respectable husband.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to a stern, demanding father, the boy is further plagued by a sudden physical instability, requiring an iron body brace that keeps him ramrod-straight.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Coventry, for example, face Manchester City away in Gameweek Three, while some of the teams worth targeting early like Manchester United, Chelsea and Sunderland have tougher fixtures in Gameweeks Three or Four.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • This summer has seen a confluence of challenges, including excessive heat that allows food contamination to grow and a pathogen that’s particularly tough to pin down.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • At first determined to capture him, little by little Araí starts to understand, and eventually, to identify with the villain.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Abel opens the wallet Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO Greg Abel, who took over from Buffett at the start of the year, appears determined to put the record cash hoard amassed by Warren Buffett to work on buybacks and stock purchases.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of determined
Adjective
  • Lamborghini used Monterey to reveal the Revuelto SV, a harder, faster version of its already ferocious V12 hybrid flagship.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Well, thanks to a video making the rounds of Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins doing some poop-scooping, the lines have been drawn for a ferocious online debate.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 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 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of grim for Spanish Speakers

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