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
Accidental deaths are grievous enough without the specific reasons for anguish and anger in the Texas floods that took more than 120 lives.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2025
Brown was arrested in May at a Manchester hotel and was charged with the count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as assault causing actual bodily harm and carrying an offensive weapon.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
The idea that residents should trust a city coming off 30 years of grievous management errors to handle this task well is hard to believe.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
Chris Brown entered a not guilty plea in his grievous bodily harm case this morning at a court in London.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2025
Brown was arrested in May at a Manchester hotel and was charged with the count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, as well as assault causing actual bodily harm and carrying an offensive weapon.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
The idea that residents should trust a city coming off 30 years of grievous management errors to handle this task well is hard to believe.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
Chris Brown entered a not guilty plea in his grievous bodily harm case this morning at a court in London.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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Oysters inspired the researchers because of their remarkable ability to attach to rocks, bridge pilings, or even each other in the harsh underwater environment.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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But the rules of the Long Walk are harsh and the stakes could not be higher.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In other words, the more painful the cry sounded, the warmer the listener's face became—and the effect was the same for both men and women.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Queen could have surgery to remove bunions, but has been warned against it as the surgery is too painful.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Demonizing or attempting to eliminate those who think differently – literally or symbolically – has become a dangerous norm, which is all too evident in the wake of the Kirk shooting.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
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During volatile periods, this becomes especially dangerous because customer loyalty becomes more fragile and harder to rebuild.—
Talbott Roche,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And these are -- these are very tragic circumstances that impact all of us.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
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Before Experience Hendrix After Hendrix’s tragic death, production of the guitarist’s music was in the hands of his allegedly exploitative manager, Michael Jeffery who died in a mysterious 1973 plane crash.—
Mike Alleyne Ph.D,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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High-Heat-Safe Alternatives While enameled cast-iron cookware is excellent to use for braising, roasting, baking, or gentle stovetop cooking, certain high heat applications like searing steak or blackening fish are best done in other types of pans, like traditional cast iron or stainless steel.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
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After all, Miami seemingly has stamina to withstand searing heat after practicing in it all summer, while the opponent typically comes to town ill-prepared for the oppressive temperatures and humidity.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The cruel irony is that the very systems designed to promote inclusion can inadvertently reinforce exclusion.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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And of course, to serve as cruel juxtaposition, deGrom retired the Mets in order in the bottom of the inning on just six pitches.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Try dropping these items at a local hazardous waste disposal site.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
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Longshore currents can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents, piers, jetties, and other hazardous areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Therefore, there are some unfortunate parallels between young Gen Z needing to sacrifice wages due to wavering job opportunities and millennials graduating into the Great Recession.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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In today's volatile business climate, layoffs have become an unfortunate reality across industries.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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