1
: causing or characterized by severe pain, suffering, or sorrow
a grievous wound
a grievous loss
2
: oppressive, onerous
grievous costs of war
grievously
adverb
grievousness
noun
Examples of grievous in a Sentence
the grievous cost of war
He took a foolish financial risk and suffered a grievous loss.
Recent Examples on the Web
Akram was also charged with 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and one count each of committing a terrorist act, discharging firearms, placing explosives and publicly displaying a terrorist organization symbol, New South Wales police said.
—
Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 Dec. 2025
The 54-year-old last month pleaded guilty to charges including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, on what would have been the first day of his trial.
—CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Sudan’s interim president and leader of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is also accused of overseeing grievous violence against civilians.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2025
Doyle, a former Royal Marine, pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent as well as three counts of wounding with intent.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
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Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 Dec. 2025
The 54-year-old last month pleaded guilty to charges including nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, on what would have been the first day of his trial.
—CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025
Sudan’s interim president and leader of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is also accused of overseeing grievous violence against civilians.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2025
Doyle, a former Royal Marine, pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous driving, affray, 17 charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent as well as three counts of wounding with intent.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grievous. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grievous
adjective
griev·ous
ˈgrē-vəs 
1
: heavy entry 1 sense 2, severe
the grievous cost of war
2
: causing pain, suffering, or sorrow
a grievous wound
3
: serious sense 4, grave
a grievous mistake
grievously
adverb
grievousness
noun
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