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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of grim
Chickens face similarly grim conditions in battery cages.
—
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
In the pain and promise of conceding to the fact that so much is still possible for this world and its people, no matter how grim the prognosis.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
The afternoon light sank into the blue harbor as the last tourists of the season ambled down the shoreline, grim-faced, confused.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
From a grim discovery in a missing child case to a high-stakes Senate runoff, Thursday brought significant news across North Texas.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grim
Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
In the pain and promise of conceding to the fact that so much is still possible for this world and its people, no matter how grim the prognosis.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
The afternoon light sank into the blue harbor as the last tourists of the season ambled down the shoreline, grim-faced, confused.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
From a grim discovery in a missing child case to a high-stakes Senate runoff, Thursday brought significant news across North Texas.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for grim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grim
Adjective
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Her ex, Karl (Jake Johnson, impressively devoid of his signature gruff charm), wants to move their adorable daughter, Hazel (Nola Wallace), from New York to Boise with his new partner, Mallory (Jessy Hodges), a polished grown-up who makes the bohemian Paula feel like a mess.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
20 May 2026
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But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Notre Dame’s dominance has been highlighted by relentless fundamentals and limited errors, the perfect antidote to Syracuse’s free-flowing and occasionally careless approach.—
Tribune News Service,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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So maybe we’re not burned out on a massive scale, beaten down by relentless bad news and struggle.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Take George Mullins — 18 years old at the battle of Carentan, one of the most savage engagements of the war, where his company lost 43 of its 45 men in three days of fighting.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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The perpetrators of these crimes are savage animals without a shred of humanity.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Jansa has been a stern critic of Golob's government, including Slovenia's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
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Christophe is the spry, imaginative middle child to a stern farmer dad in an economically depressed countryside.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Each of those teams will be competing for playoff spots again, leaving the Raiders with no easy divisional wins and a tough out-of-division schedule.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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The group did just enough against Sale and a tough Braves bullpen to avoid getting shut out for the third time in five games.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Ukraine’s two anti-corruption agencies have been so determined to win the fight against graft that theft on that sort of scale is no longer possible.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
24 May 2026
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Shannon said that after learning Powell’s story, they were determined to reconnect him with his family and document his journey.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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The first wave of women’s-rights activists won suffrage for women, against ferocious and sometimes violent opposition.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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Featuring aching, ferocious performances from Emmy winners Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, Camp Miasma imagines the resurrection of a dormant slasher franchise.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grim. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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