grief-stricken
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does grief-stricken mean? Grief-stricken means overwhelmed or strongly affected by grief—mental or emotional suffering or distress caused by loss or regret. It’s especially used to describe a person who is feeling intense sorrow and loss from the death of a loved one. The word stricken is the past participle of the verb strike, but it can also be used as an adjective meaning the same thing as afflicted. The word grief can also be used in the context of other situations involving loss, such as a divorce or the loss of a job, but grief-stricken is usually only used to describe those who are feeling grief due to a death. In other words, those who are grief-stricken are usually those who are grieving or mourning. Example: She was absolutely grief-stricken after the loss of her mother.
Etymology
Origin of grief-stricken
First recorded in 1900–05
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.
Jota was hugely-popular as a team-mate and player, leaving those at Liverpool grief-stricken.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
Jessie Buckley, the favorite to win the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of William Shakespeare's grief-stricken wife in "Hamnet," looked regal in a red Chanel off-the-shoulder bodice and flowing pink ball skirt.
From Barron's ● Mar. 15, 2026
“Lately I’ve been learning about alchemy, “ said Chloé Zhao, representing “Hamnet,” her domestic drama about the grief-stricken family life of William Shakespeare.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 8, 2026
We’ll see visions of a medium, hear fragmented remembrances and explore a trail while discovering a tale that feels like an intimate glimpse into a grief-stricken past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026
“Well,” Brinker qualified judiciously, “not actually killed. Finny’s hanging between life and death at home, in the arms of his grief-stricken old mother.”
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
