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
Adding to her plight, a grievous injury to her jaw—most likely caused by a hunter’s bullet—shattered her upper and lower canines, leaving her unable to hunt her usual prey.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Credit to her for finding the comedy in everything from grievous head injuries to the simple act of eating a Wispa.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
That grievous attack was the first domino, not that any of the players here can agree on where the true beginning lies.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Oct. 2024
Smith’s team said U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon made a grievous mistake by ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
—Eric Tucker, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous 
Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Credit to her for finding the comedy in everything from grievous head injuries to the simple act of eating a Wispa.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
That grievous attack was the first domino, not that any of the players here can agree on where the true beginning lies.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 5 Oct. 2024
Smith’s team said U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon made a grievous mistake by ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
—Eric Tucker, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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That question is particularly pointed in the case of the U. of C. Will its promotion of freedom of expression and inquiry prove in the end to have been a marketing strategy that can be discarded in the face of harsh political realities?—
Jamie Kalven,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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But the evening maintained a spirited vibe even with the harsh realities of upended lives as part of the backdrop.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA TODAY,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In December 2019, Ljungberg was interim manager for a game against City that was bitterly painful for Arsenal.—
Amy Lawrence,
The Athletic,
3 Feb. 2025
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Expensive avocados, just in time for the Super Bowl For American consumers still exasperated by high grocery prices, a trade war with Canada and Mexico could be painful.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This amount can weigh down trees and power lines — causing power outages — and make travel dangerous to borderline impossible.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
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This feeds into Newcastle’s 2-0 advantage which, as another cliche tells us, is the most dangerous lead in football.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Our prayers are with the families, friends, neighbors and all of those impacted by the tragic crash.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
2 Feb. 2025
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Following the tragic deaths of his parents in the D.C. crash, it was announced via X on Jan. 27 Maxim had withdrawn from the Four Continents Championships, which would've been his final figure skating event this season.—
Lawrence Yee,
People.com,
2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Briarcliff Entertainment has set a March theatrical release date for the Oscar-qualified documentary October 8, a searing examination of antisemitism that erupted after the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7, 2023.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2025
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At the end of the day, room could not be found for even Marianne Jean-Baptiste, a past Oscar nominee who swept the major critics awards for her searing turn in Hard Truths, or Angelina Jolie, a past Oscar winner and the A-lister of A-listers, who seemed an early front-runner for the biopic Maria.—
Scott Feinberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But his cruel divisiveness is deflecting attention from the main event.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
29 Jan. 2025
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Banek has requested the Illinois Department of Public Health probe the cruel death, also asking that all evidence associated with the case be preserved.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Past Incidents in the last 12 hours: Heavy rain prompts traffic warning on eastbound K-10 in Olathe A traffic advisory has been issued for hazardous driving conditions attributed to heavy rain on K-10 from South Woodland Street to Ridgeview Road.—
Kansas City Star Bot,
Kansas City Star,
31 Jan. 2025
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Very strong winds will create hazardous conditions with blowing and drifting snow.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Metro Denver's office vacancy rate is reaching new — and unfortunate — highs.—
Esteban L. Hernandez,
Axios,
27 Jan. 2025
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Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Ars Technica,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near grievous
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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