grief-stricken

American  

[greef-strik-uhn] / ˈgrifˌstrɪk ən /

adjective

1. overwhelmed by grief; deeply afflicted or sorrowful.

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grief-stricken British  

adjective

1. deeply affected by sorrow or distress

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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

Jota was hugely-popular as a team-mate and player, leaving those at Liverpool grief-stricken.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Tyndale introduced the English people to a God who eats with sinners, heals the sick and comforts the grief-stricken: a loving God on a mission to rescue mankind.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

A grief-stricken community in northern Canada will mourn with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, who is headed to the remote town of Tumbler Ridge to honor victims of a mass shooting.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

She also stars as the grief-stricken woman at its heart.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2025

At school he was Toby the cool-cat sophisticate; and now, suddenly, he was Toby, the grief-stricken ancient Egyptian.

From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Related Words

• anguished
• distressed
• heartbroken