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.

“I had thought these were our deepest secrets, the things we kept entirely for each other,” she thinks, but by some grievous betrayal they have entered the public domain.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

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

Aside from medical ailments, you may sense that long-ago unresolved issues — ruptured relationships, grievous losses, life-altering decisions — undermine your well-being in subtle but significant ways.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

“Poor boy,” she said, with a pitying smile, “there has been grievous mischief done today.”

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

Vocabulary lists containing grievous

The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 6

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Antigone

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