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Definitions

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.

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

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

Scenes like this are tricky enough to pull off tastefully in dramatized films, but here, the sequence feels impossibly grievous.

From Salon • Oct. 21, 2025

‘It is tidings more grievous than any in this land can understand, though it may touch them sorely ere the year is much older,’ said Aragorn.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien