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
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
Alison is so committed to her ideals that even acting them out feels like a grievous compromise; better to keep them on the wall, like the giant taxidermied moose head that quietly rolls its eyes as Alison thumbs glumly through Capital.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
The 36-year-old American star — currently on tour in Europe — is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abraham Diaw just hours after performing to thousands at a venue in Cardiff, Wales.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Afterward, Brown pleaded not guilty to a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent, The New York Times reports.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 20 June 2025
Alison is so committed to her ideals that even acting them out feels like a grievous compromise; better to keep them on the wall, like the giant taxidermied moose head that quietly rolls its eyes as Alison thumbs glumly through Capital.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 16 June 2025
The 36-year-old American star — currently on tour in Europe — is accused of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abraham Diaw just hours after performing to thousands at a venue in Cardiff, Wales.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Afterward, Brown pleaded not guilty to a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent, The New York Times reports.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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The harsh reality is this: not all cell phone forensic extractions are created equal, and the most important evidence for trucking cases on the smartphone will be gone in days or weeks.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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Late-night talk shows across the board are facing the harsh reality that declines in ad revenue can’t make up for burgeoning production costs.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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The tents are overrun by mosquitoes and other large insects, subjecting people to frequent and painful insect bites.—
Steve Bousquet,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
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Some people will also get deeper nodules and cysts that are painful or tender to the touch.2 Ice can be very effective at alleviating pain and reducing inflammation.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Here's what each means, according to the NWS: Heat advisory: A heat advisory is the lowest level and is issued for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach the criteria for a more serious alert.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
24 July 2025
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More dangerous heat waves The Great Lakes region warmed substantially faster in the six years since the last assessment than it did in decades prior, the report shows.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Actor River Phoenix’s story has long haunted Hollywood: A rising star with rare talent and a tragic ending that came far too soon.—
William Earl,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
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The whole story turns on how this scared young girl becomes a tough, tragic redeemer through this wild, unlikely journey.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In a searing rebuttal days before the British socialite was convicted for procuring victims for Epstein’s abuse in December 2021, Comey spoke to the perverted duo’s reasons for targeting teens from disadvantaged backgrounds.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
17 July 2025
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In a searing ruling against the Trump administration, a federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked federal agents from using racial profiling to carry out indiscriminate immigration arrests that advocates say have terrorized Angelenos, forced people into hiding and damaged the local economy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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In an inordinately cowardly and cruel act, Rubio stayed away from the department that day, ignoring the men and women whose careers and life plans were decimated by his flippant decision-making.—
Lynn Northcutt Vega,
Sun Sentinel,
29 July 2025
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A little more than a year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a decision from the Ninth Circuit that determined a ban on people sleeping in public was constitutionally cruel and unusual.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Despite receiving safety stamps of approval, the process for building the Las Vegas tunnels came under fire for worker safety violations and concerns, with the project being cited for numerous violations that included injuries and exposure to hazardous materials.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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Grants will be given to projects that remove or reduce hazardous wood materials National Forest System Lands.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead, like so many unfortunate accidents since cell phones were invented, this was caused by a distracted driver.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
14 July 2025
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Fortunately for him, that gaffe will be a little easier to live down than Teal and Weinberg’s unfortunate comments.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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