grievous

[gree-vuhs] / ˈgri vəs /

ADJECTIVE

severe, painful; serious

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling atrocious calamitous damaging deplorable dire dreadful egregious flagrant glaring heinous intolerable lamentable monstrous outrageous shameful shocking tragic unbearable

WEAK

afflicting agonizing dismal disquieting distressing disturbing grave harmful heart-rending heavy hurtful injurious mournful offensive onerous oppressive pathetic pitiful sad sharp sorrowful taxing tough troublesome upsetting villainous weighty wounding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

acceptable bearable blessed comforting concealed delightful favorable fortunate good happy hidden little lucky magnificent mild pleasing tolerable wonderful

WEAK

harmless pleasant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A nation shaken by this grievous war now struggles to hold onto hope for economic and social change, and for some, fundamental change.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

And it delivers a blunt message, warning that this executive order would inflict a grievous, possibly lethal moral harm on the nation.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

The most grievous incident: someone had thrown garbage in a toilet on the carrier’s lowest deck.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

If love is a complicated, beautiful and grievous thing, so is Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights.”

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026

"I won't lie to you, it's grievous news. I never thought to see another king, not at my age, with Robert half my years and strong as a bull."

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Vocabulary lists containing grievous

The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 6

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A Wrinkle in Time

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Antigone

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