grim

adjective

ˈgrim 

grimmer; grimmest

1

: fierce in disposition or action : savage

grim wolves

2

a

: stern or forbidding in action or appearance

a grim taskmaster

b

: somber, gloomy

grim news of the disaster

3

: ghastly, repellent, or sinister in character

a grim tale

4

: unflinching, unyielding

grim determination

grimly adverb

grimness noun

Synonyms

• austere
• dour
• fierce
• flinty
• forbidding
• gruff
• intimidating
• lowering
• louring
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stark
• steely
• stern
• ungentle

Examples of grim in a Sentence

Hikers made a grim discovery when they came across a dead body in the woods.

The accident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.

The prognosis is grim—doctors do not expect her to live longer than six months.

He paints a grim picture of the prospects for peace.

His face looked grim, and we knew his news wouldn't be good.

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite the grim topic, the report offers encouraging news: Steady progress has been made in reducing child labor globally. —Fatma Tanis, NPR, 26 June 2025

Gatwa’s first as the Doctor. Compare Season 15 to Jodie Whittaker’s last outing as the Time Lord, and things get grimmer. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 25 June 2025

The grim discovery has shaken the Wenatchee community and set off a sweeping manhunt for Decker, who has not been seen since. —Nicole Acosta, People.com, 25 June 2025

Plus, the scripts try to yank on our heartstrings with some maudlin moments that don’t quite land, including a grim twist for one main character that feels tacked on just to add some emotional stakes. —Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "fierce, savage, terrifying, repellent, violent, severe," going back to Old English grimm "fierce, savage, harsh, severe," going back to Germanic *grimma-, from earlier *gremma- (whence also Old Frisian grim, grem "fierce, severe, frightening," Old Saxon grimm "fierce, hostile, severe," Old High German grim, grimmi, Old Norse grimmr), adjective derivative from the base of *grimman- "to rage" (whence Old English & Old Saxon grimman "to rage," Old High German grimmen), probably going back to *ghrem-ne-, nasal present from an Indo-European verbal base *ghrem- "roar, rage," whence Avestan graməṇt- "raging," Greek chremetízein "to neigh, whinny," chrémisan "(they) neighed"; with zero-grade ablaut Old Church Slavic vŭzgrĭmě "thundered, roared," Lithuanian grumiù, grumė́ti "to roar, thunder"; with o-grade ablaut Germanic *gram- (whence Old English, Old Saxon & Old High German gram "angry, hostile, fierce," Old Norse gramr "anger," Old English gremman, gremian "to anger, enrage," Old High German gremmen, Old Norse gremja, Gothic gramjan), Old Church Slavic gromŭ "thunder," Greek chrómos, chrómē (Hesychius) "kind of noise, snorting, neighing," chrómados "grinding of jaws" (cf. chromis)

Note: The base *ghrem- is most likely of onomatopoeic origin, with different semantic developments in the Indo-European branch languages.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grim

• grim reaper

Rhymes for grim

• brim
• clim
• dim
• gym
• him
• hymn
• im
• limb
• mim
• prim
• rim
• scrim

Kids Definition

grim

adjective

ˈgrim 

grimmer; grimmest

1

: cruel sense 2, fierce

2

a

: stern in action or appearance

b

: dismal sense 1

grim news

c

: depressed

3

: frightful sense 1

a grim tale

4

: unflinching, unyielding

grim determination

grimly adverb

grimness noun