grisly

¹

[ griz-lee ]

adjective

, gris·li·er, gris·li·est.

1. causing a shudder or feeling of horror; horrible; gruesome:

   a grisly murder.

2. formidable; grim:

   a grisly countenance.

grisly

²

[ gris-lee ]

adjective

, Obsolete.

, gris·li·er, gris·li·est.

1. an obsolete spelling of gristly.

grisly

¹

/ ˈɡrɪzlɪ /

adjective

1. causing horror or dread; gruesome

grisly

²

/ ˈɡrɪzlɪ /

noun

1. See grizzly
   obsolete.
   a variant spelling of grizzly

Usage

See grizzly

Derived Forms

• ˈgrisliness, noun

Other Words From

• grisli·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grisly¹

before 1150; Middle English; Old English grislīc horrible; cognate with Old High German grīsenlīh

Word History and Origins

Origin of grisly¹

Old English grislic; related to Old Frisian grislik, Old High German grīsenlīh

Example Sentences

Their only solace on a night when they tacked another grisly defeat — No.

From Washington Post

A new analysis of that unfortunate man’s partial skeleton, excavated around a century ago at a village cemetery near Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, has unveiled that grisly scenario.

From Science News

A Baltimore police officer is facing charges after prosecutors say the body of his teenage stepson was found “secreted” in a wall in his home and he tried to steal a fellow officer’s gun as authorities made the grisly discovery.

From The Daily Beast

This grisly Spanish teen drama has been renewed for fourth and fifth seasons.

From Washington Blade

In her view, Carrillo’s grisly narrative is a product of the military’s refusal to adequately address the issue of radicalization within the ranks.

From ProPublica

He admitted responsibility without hesitation, and in meticulous, grisly detail.

From The Daily Beast

These grisly images drew a huge audience, and allowed that audience to indulge in righteous indignation.

From The Daily Beast

In the wake of such a grisly screw up, it is tempting to play the blame game.

From The Daily Beast

Moreover, Saudi Arabia and Iran have notoriously carried out even the more grisly penalties of shariah.

From The Daily Beast

The grisly footage obtained by BFMTV shows the French-speaking fighters arriving at a scene splayed with bodies.

From The Daily Beast

Pit your shovel in here an' lift this pickle, an' no' stand there gapin' like a grisly ghost at the door o' hell!

From Project Gutenberg

This appears in several witch trials and I think in Law's Memorials, that delightful storehouse of the quaint and grisly.

From Project Gutenberg

Then up rose two long spears; spears topped with grisly, rounded objects.

From Project Gutenberg

Rw-no-way-wh-krah, the Loose Pipe-stem; a brave (full length); eagle head-dress, shirt of grisly bears skin.

From Project Gutenberg

Pa-ris-ka-ro-pa, the Two Crows; with a handsome shirt, ornamented with ermine, and necklace of grisly bears claws.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• bloody
• dreadful
• eerie
• frightful
• ghastly
• grim
• gruesome
• hideous
• horrible
• horrid
• lurid
• macabre
• shocking
• sickening
• terrible
• terrifying