GRAVE Synonyms: 298 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'grave' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of grave are earnest , sedate , serious , sober , solemn , and staid . While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude. // read the proclamation in a grave voice

Q: When can 'earnest' be used instead of 'grave'?

The synonyms earnest and grave are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose. // an earnest reformer

Q: Where would 'sedate' be a reasonable alternative to 'grave'?

The words sedate and grave can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness. // remained sedate amid the commotion

Q: When would 'serious' be a good substitute for 'grave'?

While the synonyms serious and grave are close in meaning, serious implies a concern for what really matters. // a serious play about social injustice

Q: In what contexts can 'sober' take the place of 'grave'?

Although the words sober and grave have much in common, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity. // a sober look at the state of our schools

Q: When is 'solemn' a more appropriate choice than 'grave'?

The words solemn and grave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity. // a sad and solemn occasion

Q: When might 'staid' be a better fit than 'grave'?

In some situations, the words staid and grave are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint. // a quiet and staid community

grave 1 of 3

noun

ˈgrāv

Definition of grave next

as in tomb

a final resting place for a dead person the forlorn boy put flowers on his mother's grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in death

the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities a rock star who found his early grave in a plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dead

the state of being dead a terrible fear of the grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grave

2 of 3

adjective

ˈgrāv

as in serious

having a matter of importance as its topic leaving gossip and celebrities to other magazines, this journal focuses on the grave issues confronting the nation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury going over Niagara Falls poses a grave danger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in solemn

not joking or playful in mood or manner when I asked him how his dog was doing, he looked grave and said, "Not good"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deep

having a low musical pitch or range a grave hexachord

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grave

3 of 3

verb

ˈgrāv

as in to etch

to cut (as letters or designs) on a hard surface the doomed climber graved his initials into the rock face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of grave are earnest, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When can earnest be used instead of grave?

The synonyms earnest and grave are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Where would sedate be a reasonable alternative to grave?

The words sedate and grave can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When would serious be a good substitute for grave?

While the synonyms serious and grave are close in meaning, serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

In what contexts can sober take the place of grave?

Although the words sober and grave have much in common, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When is solemn a more appropriate choice than grave?

The words solemn and grave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When might staid be a better fit than grave?

In some situations, the words staid and grave are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

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 grave

Noun

At a handful of graves, fake flowers stand out in bright pinks, reds and blues against the monochrome landscape. —

Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025 That grave near al-Mahawil, one of the largest discovered after the fall of the Baathist regime, was believed to hold up to 15,000 souls. —

Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025

Adjective

The Russell Sage Foundation (RSF) in particular took on the issue as a matter of grave concern, launching a campaign in 1910. —

Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 28 Jan. 2025 The potential impact on civil society of hacking-for-hire operations is grave, according to cybersecurity and legal experts. —

Michael Copley, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for grave

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grave

Noun

In 2022, for instance, Martinez and her team at the University of Santo Domingo discovered a 6.5-foot-tall, 4,300-foot-long tunnel some 40 feet beneath the temple while searching for the tomb.

— Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025
The king later did public penance for this at Becket’s tomb in Canterbury.

— Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025