grieve
Americanverb (used without object)
-
grieves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
grieved,
past participle, past
-
grieving
present participle
verb
-
to feel or cause to feel great sorrow or distress, esp at the death of someone
-
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.
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
-
grievernoun
-
grievingnoun
-
overgrieveverb
-
nongrievedadjective
-
nongrievingadjective
-
ungrievedadjective
-
ungrievingadjective
-
grievedlyadverb
-
grievinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
grievesimple
-
grievessimple
-
have grievedperfect
-
has grievedperfect
-
am grievingprogressive
-
are grievingprogressive
-
is grievingprogressive
-
have been grievingperfect progressive
-
has been grievingperfect progressive
Past
-
grievedsimple
-
had grievedperfect
-
was grievingprogressive
-
were grievingprogressive
-
had been grievingperfect progressive
Future
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”; see grave 2
Explanation
To grieve is to feel sorrow over something, especially people who have died. The most common use of grieve has to do with death: usually there are grieving family members and grieving friends, feeling sadness over the loss of a loved one. You can also grieve over a pet who died, a job you didn't get, or a favorite pair of shoes that were ruined. Usually there's some kind of loss involved, but as long as you feel extremely sad about something that's happened, you're grieving.
Vocabulary lists containing grieve
Instead of "Said": Words For Sad Speech
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Good Grief!: Grav, Griev
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Bush's Address on 9/11
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
"The boy's family will need time to grieve this unimaginable loss, so please respect their privacy."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
At this time, we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
For almost a quarter of a century her family have been left without answers, unable to grieve properly or even hold a funeral.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
But permit me, as a lifelong MMA fan, to grieve a bit for my favorite sport: the only one I’ve ever truly loved.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
“You’ve won against the biggest adversaries there are—life and death. And now none of us ever have to grieve again.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
"Seattle grieves with you, and we will stand with you in the difficult days ahead."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“We are a first-world country, and speaking as a physician that knows this can be prevented, it grieves me,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Club and country team-mate Jamie George says England will rally around captain Maro Itoje as he grieves the death of his mother.
From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026
What does it look like when a bird grieves?
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025
“I will not abandon Meereen to the fate of Asta- por. It grieves me to say so, but Westeros must wait.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
He turned down a chance to coach his country in 2006, believing that the busier fixture list at Wasps would suit him better as he grieved the death of his brother.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
“I am profoundly grieved at the loss of my partner and brother,” said attorney John Branca, co-executor of the Michael Jackson estate with McClain.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
In his letter, Altman said he had held off on a public apology to the people of Tumbler Ridge because "time was also needed to respect the community as you grieved".
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Jefferson grieved deeply over the loss of his wife, the death in childhood of four of their six children, and the later loss of a daughter at only 25.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
“Beg pardon, Tm sure,” said Sir Grummore, grieved at having touched upon this tender subject—and all was well.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
In Torres del Limonar, a Cali residential complex that collapsed in Monday's earthquake, people pick through rubble to recover victims' belongings and return them to grieving families.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
"You speak to people who are grieving, you're like, 'How are you doing?' They're like, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, you know, it's hard, but I'm fine.' It feels very unhealthily British."
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
“Something has happened and I believe in his own way he is going to be grieving and I feel so sad for him,” said North Carolina’s Wendi Cornett.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Mr. Weiler made an impressive off-Broadway debut with “Well, I’ll Let You Go,” a moving drama about grieving first staged in Brooklyn last year and recently brought back for a return engagement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Whereas I was grieving for my grandpa who had died, Papa was mourning for the man who had given him his chance in life.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
