grieve

[ greev ]

verb (used without object)

, grieved, griev·ing.

1. to feel grief or great sorrow:

   She has grieved over his death for nearly three years.

   Synonyms: suffer, bemoan, bewail, weep, lament

verb (used with object)

, grieved, griev·ing.

1. to distress mentally; cause to feel grief or sorrow:

   It grieves me to see you so unhappy.

   Synonyms: pain, sadden

2. Archaic. to oppress or wrong.

grieve

¹

/ ɡriːv /

verb

1. to feel or cause to feel great sorrow or distress, esp at the death of someone
2. obsolete.
   tr to inflict injury, hardship, or sorrow on

grieve

²

/ ɡriːv /

noun

1. a farm manager or overseer

Derived Forms

• ˈgriever, noun
• ˈgrieving, nounadjective
• ˈgrievingly, adverb

Other Words From

• griev·ed·ly [gree, -vid-lee, greevd, -], adverb
• griever noun
• grieving·ly adverb
• non·grieved adjective
• non·grieving adjective
• over·grieve verb overgrieved overgrieving
• un·grieved adjective
• un·grieving adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grieve¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English greven, grieven, from Old French grever, from Latin gravāre “to burden,” verb derivative of gravis “heavy”; grave ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of grieve¹

C13: from Old French grever, from Latin gravāre to burden, from gravis heavy

Origin of grieve²

C15: from Old English (Northumbrian) græfa reeve

Synonym Study

Grieve, mourn imply showing suffering caused by sorrow. Grieve is the stronger word, implying deep mental suffering often endured alone and in silence but revealed by one's aspect: to grieve over the loss (or death ) of a friend. Mourn usually refers to manifesting sorrow outwardly, either with or without sincerity: to mourn publicly and wear black.

Example Sentences

If Katie is the most combative and controlling, she may also be the most in pain, her need to be right blocking her ability to grieve.

From Los Angeles Times

Everett credits her co-stars with giving her an understanding of different kinds of love and ways of grieving that helped her play Sam to such acclaim.

From Salon

They also hope the second inquest will allow them to fully grieve the loss of their son.

From BBC

He said that because Lillienfeld had already retired, he had “no standing to appeal or grieve the one-sided investigation.”

From Los Angeles Times

"I'm not sure there's really been time to fully process things and fully grieve but as a family we're sticking together, keeping close and keeping going," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• ache
• cry
• lament
• regret
• wail
• weep

More About Grieve

What does grieve mean?

To grieve is to feel or express intense grief—mental or emotional suffering or distress caused by loss or regret.

Grieve often means the same thing as mourn. It’s especially used in the context of someone who is mourning the death of a loved one.

However, the word can also be used in the context of other situations involving loss or regret, such as the end of a relationship or the loss of a job.

Less commonly, grieve can mean to cause someone to feel grief, as in It grieves me to see you so sad.

Grieve should not be confused with bereave, which means to take away and leave devastated. Those who are grieving are those who have been bereaved.

Example: After losing someone close, it’s important to take the time to grieve.

Where does grieve come from?

The first records of the word grieve come from around 1200. It comes from the Latin verb gravāre, meaning “to burden,” from gravis, “heavy.” The same root forms the basis of the words gravity and the adjective grave meaning “serious.”

People who are grieving—and those who try to help them deal with their grief—often become familiar with the popular theory that there are five stages of grief, which was developed by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. According to Kübler-Ross, the five stages of grief are:

1. Denial (This stage involves difficulty believing that what has happened is real.)
2. Anger (This involves frustration that it has happened to you.)
3. Bargaining (This can involve thinking about “what if” and trying to find some way out of what has happened.)
4. Depression. (This involves the sorrow that comes with the realization that what has happened is real and nothing can be done to change it.)
5. Acceptance. (This stage involves accepting what has happened and attempting to move on.)

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to grieve?

• grieving (continuous tense verb, noun)
• grievingly (adverb)
• griever (noun)

What are some synonyms for grieve?

• mourn
• sadden
• pain

What are some words that share a root or word element with grieve? 

• grief
• grave
• gravity

What are some words that often get used in discussing grieve?

• mourning
• bereavement
• death
• loss
• regret
• denial
• anger
• bargaining
• depression
• acceptance

How is grieve used in real life?

Grieve is most commonly used in the context of someone who is mourning the death of a loved one. But it can also be used in other situations involving loss.

"When you're in that bubble, all you want to do is talk about it." Watch mum Lynette talk about how having a safe haven such as #WoodlandHouse will help break the taboo of pregnancy and baby loss, and provide specialist support to parents who are grieving. https://t.co/WF9SYWrhKp pic.twitter.com/MBVDWtMtop

— Bham Women's Hosp (@BWH_NHS) July 12, 2019

A friend of mine said grieving feels like being under water. It’s true.

I’m moving so slowly. Everything feels muddled and vague. My body doesn’t feel solid and I’m struggling to grab on to things but I can’t seem to hold anyone or anything too tightly.

Be patient with me.

— Amanda Quraishi (@ImTheQ) October 10, 2020

Why it's important to grieve career transitions:

"Dealing with bouts of grief instead of ignoring them can help you better navigate the complex emotions of leaving a job you love and starting fresh somewhere new."https://t.co/WNadfpnVJC pic.twitter.com/qP3UeBbQWN

— Jennifer Polk, PhD (@FromPhDtoLife) January 11, 2019

 

 

Try using grieve!

Is grieve used correctly in the following sentence?

To all the families who are grieving the loss of a loved one, I offer you my sincere condolences.