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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of grievous
Police arrested Dean three days later and charged him with assault causing grievous bodily harm and throwing a corrosive substance with intent to maim, burn or disfigure.
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Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Eva is determined to right a grievous wrong done to her mother as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
What makes the situation all the more grievous, at least for me, is that Robinson is running as an outspoken evangelical.
—David French, The Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2024
On top of the grievous toll in human life and misery, Israel’s war against the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups has been expensive, and the painfully high financial costs are raising concerns about the long-term effect of the fighting on the country’s economy.
—David McHugh, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous 
Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Eva is determined to right a grievous wrong done to her mother as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
What makes the situation all the more grievous, at least for me, is that Robinson is running as an outspoken evangelical.
—David French, The Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2024
On top of the grievous toll in human life and misery, Israel’s war against the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups has been expensive, and the painfully high financial costs are raising concerns about the long-term effect of the fighting on the country’s economy.
—David McHugh, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grievous
Adjective
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Trump has promised to enact a new fiscal and economic regime, including harsh tariffs that some economists fear could have inflationary effects.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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November is here, and with its arrival comes cooler, harsher weather.Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This lightweight trail runner is designed to slide on like a sock, eliminating painful pressure points and decreasing the possibility of blisters.Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024
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These punishments are especially painful since North Korea’s economy has been severely strained by international sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic mismanagement.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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For observers to project their own values and interests onto Hamas and its supporters is to fall into a dangerous trap.John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
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Williams was wearing a monitor manufactured by Honeywell Safety Products that should have warned him that he had been exposed to dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Nearly $195,000 was raised through a GoFundMe campaign started for Kaur’s family following her tragic death.Abigail Adams, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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The mother of a North Carolina woman who was fatally attacked while vacationing in Mexico is pursuing legal action two years after the tragic incident.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Harris campaigned over the weekend Michelle Obama, who launched into a searing critique of the former president.Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
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This searing manual deconstructs the subgenre and the process that goes into contributing to it, bringing the study thereof into a whole new era of experimentation and boundary dissolution.Tyler Thier, JSTOR Daily, 21 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The in-person aspects of the contest have remained generally positive, but online, with each new addition, the very nature of commenting on people’s bodies, looks, and attractiveness is basically heavy bait for someone to eventually say something cruel.CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
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Yet some began to blanch at this cruel ostentation.Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that travel in these areas may be extremely hazardous, or impossible in parts.Lottie McGrath, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
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Much of the state was under a Winter Weather Advisory, with the wet, heavy snow creating hazardous driving conditions.Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Lucky 13 has proved unfortunate for those involved in making the ABC game show.Jake Kanter, Deadline, 21 Nov. 2024
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Equally unfortunate is the film’s narrative clumsiness, with a story that doesn’t earn its exhausting runtime.Tomris Laffly, Variety, 20 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near grievous
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grievous. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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