Synonyms of grisly

grisly

adjective

ˈgriz-lē 

as in gruesome

extremely disturbing or repellent

the police report described the murder scene in grisly detail

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gruesome
• horrific
• shocking
• horrible
• nightmare
• terrible
• horrifying
• frightening
• terrifying
• terrific
• macabre
• hideous
• dreadful
• awful
• scary
• nightmarish
• ghastly
• appalling
• horrid
• sickening
• lurid
• frightful
• monstrous
• horrendous
• atrocious
• disgusting
• alarming
• fearful
• dire
• ugly
• grotesque
• formidable
• obscene
• direful
• revolting
• loathsome
• offensive
• repulsive
• heinous
• unspeakable
• fearsome
• repugnant
• gut-wrenching
• abominable
• disagreeable
• deplorable
• forbidding
• bloodcurdling
• abhorrent
• odious
• intimidating
• obnoxious
• evil
• vile
• distasteful
• redoubtable
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• nauseating
• noxious
• noisome
• unsightly
• foul

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pleasant
• delightful
• attractive
• delicious
• satisfying
• appealing
• enjoyable
• welcome
• agreeable
• pleasurable
• delectable
• enticing
• pleasing
• inviting
• comforting
• soothing
• cheering

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grisly different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of grisly are ghastly, gruesome, lurid, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

When is ghastly a more appropriate choice than grisly?

Although the words ghastly and grisly have much in common, ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do lurid and gruesome relate to one another, in the sense of grisly?

Lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

When might macabre be a better fit than grisly?

While the synonyms macabre and grisly are close in meaning, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grisly

In his own statement, Steinfeld said Celeste’s parents, brother, and sister were left devastated by the flood of grisly details revealed by prosecutors in a court filing Wednesday. —Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026

The autopsies of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner have not yet been completed, stalling the criminal case against their son Nick, who is charged in the couple’s grisly December 2025 deaths. —Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026

As the suspect accused of killing two doctoral students in Florida faces murder charges, authorities have laid out disturbing and grisly details surrounding the students’ disappearance. —Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026

Surviving service members described a grisly scene, with their fellow soldiers bleeding heavily from shrapnel wounds and dealing with severe head injuries. —Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026

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