grieve

[ greev ]
See synonyms for: grievegrievedgrievinggriever on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),grieved, griev·ing.
  1. to feel grief or great sorrow: She has grieved over his death for nearly three years.

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.

  2. Archaic. to oppress or wrong.

Origin of grieve

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English greven, grieven, from Old French grever, from Latin gravāre “to burden,” verb derivative of gravis “heavy”; see grave2

synonym study For grieve

1. 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.

Other words for grieve

Other words from grieve

  • griev·ed·ly [gree-vid-lee, greevd-], /ˈgri vɪd li, ˈgrivd-/, adverb
  • griever, noun
  • griev·ing·ly, adverb
  • non·grieved, adjective
  • non·griev·ing, adjective
  • o·ver·grieve, verb, o·ver·grieved, o·ver·griev·ing.
  • un·grieved, adjective
  • un·griev·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with grieve

Words Nearby grieve

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use grieve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for grieve (1 of 2)

grieve1

/ (ɡriːv) /


verb
  1. to feel or cause to feel great sorrow or distress, esp at the death of someone

  2. (tr) obsolete to inflict injury, hardship, or sorrow on

Origin of grieve

1
C13: from Old French grever, from Latin gravāre to burden, from gravis heavy

Derived forms of grieve

  • griever, noun
  • grieving, noun, adjective
  • grievingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for grieve (2 of 2)

grieve2

/ (ɡriːv) /


noun
  1. Scot a farm manager or overseer

Origin of grieve

2
C15: from Old English (Northumbrian) græfa reeve

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012