1
: causing or characterized by severe pain, suffering, or sorrow
a grievous wound
a grievous loss
2
: oppressive, onerous
grievous costs of war
grievously
adverb
grievousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of grievous in a Sentence
the grievous cost of war
He took a foolish financial risk and suffered a grievous loss.
Recent Examples on the Web
This, despite the fact that in New York City, injuries to pedestrians from bicycles are vanishingly rare, while grievous injuries to both pedestrians and cyclists from cars are common.
—
Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
An unnamed 16-year-old boy received an 18-month supervision order after admitting to grievous bodily harm, and an unnamed 17-year-old girl will be sentenced at a later date after pleading guilty to robbery and possession of cannabis.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 17 Jan. 2025
Adding to her plight, a grievous injury to her jaw—most likely caused by a hunter’s bullet—shattered her upper and lower canines, leaving her unable to hunt her usual prey.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Credit to her for finding the comedy in everything from grievous head injuries to the simple act of eating a Wispa.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous 
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Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
An unnamed 16-year-old boy received an 18-month supervision order after admitting to grievous bodily harm, and an unnamed 17-year-old girl will be sentenced at a later date after pleading guilty to robbery and possession of cannabis.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 17 Jan. 2025
Adding to her plight, a grievous injury to her jaw—most likely caused by a hunter’s bullet—shattered her upper and lower canines, leaving her unable to hunt her usual prey.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Credit to her for finding the comedy in everything from grievous head injuries to the simple act of eating a Wispa.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grievous
Dictionary Entries Near grievous
Cite this Entry
“Grievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grievous. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grievous
adjective
griev·ous
ˈgrē-vəs 
1
: heavy entry 1 sense 2, severe
the grievous cost of war
2
: causing pain, suffering, or sorrow
a grievous wound
3
: serious sense 4, grave
a grievous mistake
grievously
adverb
grievousness
noun
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