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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of grim
Despite the grim prognosis, Arivia welcomed Zack at 37 weeks with no complications.
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Angela Andaloro, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Data from Korn Ferry paints a grim picture—senior executives distrust the C-suite, managers struggle to trust their subordinates and entry-level workers feel watched and doubted.
—Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
To put it mildly, 2024 did not hold back on grim news.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
Viewers watched as Berghoff spilled chilling anecdotes of her experiences, painting a grim picture of the dangers lurking in the digital dating pool.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grim 
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Data from Korn Ferry paints a grim picture—senior executives distrust the C-suite, managers struggle to trust their subordinates and entry-level workers feel watched and doubted.
—Sherzod Odilov, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
To put it mildly, 2024 did not hold back on grim news.
—Natalie Escobar, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
Viewers watched as Berghoff spilled chilling anecdotes of her experiences, painting a grim picture of the dangers lurking in the digital dating pool.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grim
Adjective
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The first episode shows Dr. Robby leading a group of young medical students and residents on a tour of their new workplace, their faces just as much a mixture of terror and wonder as Carter’s was when his gruff mentor Peter Benton led him around County General on his first day.Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 3 Jan. 2025
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The beloved coach who has a sweetly gruff persona also joked about how he’s fared as a patient.Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Soviet scientists at the time believed that strays, given that they were already accustomed to harsh conditions, would be better suited to the extreme environments of space.Scott Travers, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Advocates and relatives describe harsh conditions in immigration detention.Dake Kang and Huizhong Wu, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The captain has piled up the points by being dogged in battles, relentless on pucks and strong with his shots.Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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In his three seasons in Chicago, Rodman averaged an astonishing 15.4 rebounds per game to go along with his relentless defense and ability to get under opponents' skin.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2025
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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That’s the pinnacle stewardship stern directors, CFOs and CTOs embrace.Noah Barsky, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan has issued a stern warning to migrants illegally entering the U.S. in the final days of the Biden administration.Jackson Walker, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Resolutions often fail due to an all-or-nothing mindset full of tough self-criticism.Jane Hanson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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Rempe became a fan favorite in New York as a rookie last season, making a name for himself around the NHL by fighting the league's biggest and toughest stalwarts.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Thousands of miles away from their home in Philadelphia, Sara is determined to keep heading westward to meet Devin’s father in the California town of Crook Springs.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
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The White House has said Biden is determined to close Guantánamo Bay before the end of his term.Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC News, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Paco, a punk rocker played by a ferocious Héctor Medina, is among those who take this drastic measure and is sent away.Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024
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No matter what spec-chart flunkies might say about a car that merely hits 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, GT 63 proved as ferocious and exhilarating as any front-engine GT car available, whether German, Italian or English.Mark Ewing, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Grim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grim. Accessed 14 Jan. 2025.
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