1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
the months of chemotherapy seemed almost as grievous an affliction as the cancer itself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
involving potential loss or injury
a grievous wound that requires a doctor's immediate attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 grievous
What was Chris Brown charged with? Metropolitan Police charged the singer with one count of grievous bodily harm with intent, according to a Crown Prosecution Service press release.
—
Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 18 May 2025
Chris Brown has been arrested in the U.K. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to USA TODAY on May 15 that a 36-year-old man was arrested at a Manchester hotel just after 2 p.m. on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Despite Hawkins’ commitment to the bit, however, Laura is a cartoonish villain that makes identifying with or even understanding her grievous plight — there is no word in the English language for a person who’s lost a child, after all — a steep challenge.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
The Grammy-winning singer was charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm after being arrested at a hotel in England.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 18 May 2025
Chris Brown has been arrested in the U.K. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to USA TODAY on May 15 that a 36-year-old man was arrested at a Manchester hotel just after 2 p.m. on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Despite Hawkins’ commitment to the bit, however, Laura is a cartoonish villain that makes identifying with or even understanding her grievous plight — there is no word in the English language for a person who’s lost a child, after all — a steep challenge.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
The Grammy-winning singer was charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm after being arrested at a hotel in England.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
-
Though Nicole reserves her harshest jabs for Jorgeous, the real heat is between Tina and Mistress.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
-
Padilla had harsh comments for the president and the GOP in a statement Thursday after the House vote.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Their boyfriends, meanwhile, suffer the painful indignities of paper cutters, buzzsaws, and other sharp objects.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
-
Manu diving can hurt The researchers caution that the manu maneuver is not only difficult but can be risky and painful.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The reason is that getting on and off a tall bed or sofa can be dangerous for your furry friend and result in potential injuries.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 May 2025
-
Even ejecting from the aircraft can be dangerous and traumatic.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
This is a tragic statistic, and too many brilliant, capable women are suffering because of it.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
-
The law followed the tragic and preventable death of a 16-year-old football player who died from heat stroke during football practice three years earlier.—
Jenna DiPaolo,
Sun Sentinel,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
Peña said that because the physical changes to the third floor will be minimal, the new flea market should be open in the next couple of weeks — just in time to avoid Miami’s searing summer heat and sudden thunderstorms.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
-
Pyroclastic clouds, or a dense mixture of ash, gas and rock dispersed during a volcanic eruption, caused a searing, rapid avalanche of debris to fill the home, Zuchtriegel said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
But then perhaps that is her unsatisfying but depressingly undeniable point: there is no challenging minds this small, behaviors this cruel, spirits this mean.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
-
The reason Evin is infamous is because of its terribly cruel high security detention centers that are poorly supervised by the Prison Chief.—
Jeff Kaufman,
Time,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Other parts of the southeastern US could see hazardous weather Friday afternoon and evening.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
-
However, a small portion of them, known as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), do require close monitoring.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The timing of Correa’s five-game absence for a concussion sustained in Baltimore on May 15 was unfortunate.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
-
This is especially unfortunate because the plot itself is quite harrowing.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share