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

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 grisly And, look, here comes another grisly slate of candidates. George Kalogerakis, Air Mail, 3 May 2025 That lady is really the aforementioned murderous hag (Meredith Binder), her false veneer of youthful beauty reinforced by a magic mirror’s flattering (if also caustic) topless female spirits, and sustained via grisly methods seemingly inspired by Elizabeth Bathory. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 May 2025 Consuelos isn't the only morning show icon with grisly kitchen tales. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 2 May 2025 The show's final showdown sees Brontë and Joe engaged in a grisly confrontation in the woods near the U.S.-Canadian border, where Brontë enticed him under the guise of fleeing the country together. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for grisly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grisly
Adjective
  • For some, watching the film might seem like a gruesome voyeuristic act, even if the scene in question is not a part of the final cut.
    Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • The militant group that has controlled Gaza since 2007 killed 1,200 people in Israel and took hundreds hostage that day in a series of gruesome attacks.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • The zombies are terrifying, and every situation our heroes find themselves in is a horrific, life-or-death struggle.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
  • Sometimes the most horrific damage comes hundreds of miles away from where the center of the eye hits the coast.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • During a text exchange afterwards, Hanley asked Sobule if the New York experience was shocking.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
  • May 5, 2025: Leo attends his first Met Gala (which is kind of shocking in and of itself) alongside Ceretti, who made her Met Gala debut in 2021.
    Glamour, Glamour, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grisly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grisly. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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