verb
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to feel or cause to feel great sorrow or distress, esp at the death of someone
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obsolete (tr) to inflict injury, hardship, or sorrow on
noun
Usage
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.
Related Words
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 Word Forms
- grievedly adverb
- griever noun
- grieving noun
- grievingly adverb
- nongrieved adjective
- nongrieving adjective
- overgrieve verb
- ungrieved adjective
- ungrieving adjective
Etymology
Origin of grieve
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
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.
“During this difficult time, we kindly ask that friends and fans respect our family’s privacy as we grieve and support one another.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026
"While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories he created that will love on forever," they said.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
“I want you to know we grieve with you. At some point when you are ready, maybe we can get together for a good cry,” he wrote, according to a screenshot of the text.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026
"For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
"Fools love a fool," grumbled Stannis, "but I grieve for him as well. For the boy he was, not the man he grew to be."
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
