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
Our environment and health are being threatened, our democracy is at a grievous tipping point, our global allies are alarmed and our adversaries are grinning.
—
Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Liberal internationalists would probably agree that, in certain respects, U.S. democracy has suffered a grievous decline since Ike was president.
—Anatol Lieven, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Confirming Patel would be a grievous mistake that would endanger the FBI's integrity and compromise its critical mission.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
Trump's pardons included those convicted of attacking police officers, sometimes causing grievous injuries.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Liberal internationalists would probably agree that, in certain respects, U.S. democracy has suffered a grievous decline since Ike was president.
—Anatol Lieven, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Confirming Patel would be a grievous mistake that would endanger the FBI's integrity and compromise its critical mission.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
Trump's pardons included those convicted of attacking police officers, sometimes causing grievous injuries.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
-
Donald Trump defended his harsh new tariffs on Saturday Night Live this week — and maybe took a swipe at last week’s musical guest, too.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
5 Apr. 2025
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Never one for details, Trump is now clearly linking the harsh 54% tariffs imposed on China on Tuesday to a TikTok deal.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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However, Trump has described his policies as a painful yet necessary step to encourage companies to relocate their operations to the United States.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2025
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The overstressed tissue, either along your arch or right next to your heel, can then sustain tiny tears and become irritated, inflamed, and painful.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Both teams possess forwards who are dangerous when running in behind defences.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
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That means the garden isn't dangerous for Cummings' elderly father, who is allergic to bees.—
Martha Ann Overland,
NPR,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The woman behind the 911 call that set off the tragic chain of events leading to Young Scooter’s death on his 39th birthday is now speaking out — contradicting her own initial account of the incident.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Underdogs don't come much more awkward than Carrie White (so memorably played by Sissy Spacek), the timid, tragic heroine of Brian De Palma's freaky Stephen King adaptation.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What's particularly cruel about that reality is that after years of dealing with questions about his weight, the former Duke Blue Devil star played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Here, Munir may be vaccinating chickens rather than grabbing them on their way to slaughter, but the work is just as thankless and cruel.—
Bartolomeo Sala,
The Dial,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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More snow is on the way and will create hazardous travel conditions, forecasters said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
1 Apr. 2025
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However, a small portion of them, known as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), do require closer observation.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The self-deportation of a University of Florida student reveals the new reality for many immigrants — any brush with the law can set off a chain of unfortunate events.—
Clara-Sophia Daly,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
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This ancestor of mine was born at a good time for ornate garments, but at an unfortunate time and place for tuberculosis.—
Denise Snodell,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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