1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the months of chemotherapy seemed almost as grievous an affliction as the cancer itself
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2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
the death of a spouse can be a grievous loss from which one never recovers
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3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
a grievous wound that requires a doctor's immediate attention
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4
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the grievous cost of the war in human lives weighed heavily on the president's mind
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grievous
No sin is too grievous for His mercy.
—
Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Her governments oversaw sustained economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and the establishment of a war crimes tribunal to prosecute those responsible for committing grievous crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2026
Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been remanded in custody after being charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In 2012, The Hollywood Reporter – the same trade magazine that recently lamented a downturn in animal rentals – published an exposé cataloging incidents in which animals died, were injured or were put at grievous risk on sets.
—Cynthia Chris, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Her governments oversaw sustained economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and the establishment of a war crimes tribunal to prosecute those responsible for committing grievous crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Mar. 2026
Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been remanded in custody after being charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In 2012, The Hollywood Reporter – the same trade magazine that recently lamented a downturn in animal rentals – published an exposé cataloging incidents in which animals died, were injured or were put at grievous risk on sets.
—Cynthia Chris, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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The barren landscape, despite its harsh conditions (daytime temperatures often exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit), was—and still is—famous for its connection to many legends of treasure.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
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Drivers may also experience smoother brake operation because the system avoids the harsh pedal pulsing commonly associated with older anti-lock braking systems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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All this may explain why the war doesn’t linger in British memory as a painful loss.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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But Saturday’s loss will hurt for a while, with Messi delivering a message to the team following the painful result.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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Gabriel Basso stars as Sutherland, a formerly low-level FBI agent who has taken on increasingly dangerous assignments as part of a counterintelligence group within the bureau called Night Action.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
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Bessent has compared the Fed's growing balance sheet to a dangerous lab experiment.—
Steve Liesman,Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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Bojorquez said Jones was a brave officer who had made a tragic mistake while rushing to the aid of victims.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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That’s especially true in the tragic murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Steppenwolf and Circle Rep, with their combination of theatrical fearlessness, searing intensity and rabid teamwork, helped shape Mantello’s aesthetic.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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Mikey lambastes him anyway, turning a speech in praise of Richie into a searing evisceration.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
Adjective
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Even his students can be casually cruel to each other, emulating a president that Artie almost cannot fathom.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Baseball is a sport built on failure surrounded by a cruel, cynical business, but this level of irony is almost too rich to digest.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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The building where the fire broke out has 107 housing code violations, including 39 that are considered immediately hazardous, building records show.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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As wildfires get more extreme, agency personnel have less time to reduce vegetation, known as hazardous fuels work, which sets the stage for even bigger blazes.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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But, yeah, that would be unfortunate.—
Ricky Sayer,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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In this unfortunate category, Amazon’s new feature for generating mini-podcast segments that shill for products on its shopping platform really takes the cake.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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