grievous

[gree-vuhs]

adjective

1. causing grief or great sorrow.

   grievous news.

   Synonyms: painful, sorrowful, sad, tragic, heartbreaking
   Antonyms: delightful

2. full of or expressing grief; sorrowful.

   a grievous cry.

3. characterized by great pain or suffering; severe.

   grievous bodily harm;

   a grievous injury.

4. having serious effects; grave.

   a grievous mistake;

   grievous faults.

5. extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, brutal, etc.; atrocious.

   a grievous offense against morality;

   grievous crimes.

   Synonyms: critical, acute, onerous, harsh, brutal, heinous, appalling

6. burdensome; oppressive.

   to incur grievous expenses.

grievous

/ ˈɡriːvəs /

adjective

1. very severe or painful

   a grievous injury

2. very serious; heinous

   a grievous sin

3. showing or marked by grief

   a grievous cry

4. causing great pain or suffering

   a grievous attack

Other Word Forms

• grievously adverb
• grievousness noun
• nongrievous adjective
• nongrievousness noun
• overgrievous adjective
• overgrievousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grievous¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grevous, from Old French grevo(u)s; grieve, -ous

Example Sentences

Former Royal Marine Commando Paul Doyle, 53, faces charges including causing grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving.

From BBC

The man was arrested at Luton Airport on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and taken into custody for questioning, police said.

From BBC

Riley was found guilty of three charges of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent against the girl, at the Old Bailey on Monday.

From BBC

The other man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, police said.

From BBC

He talked about the prisoners of war who endured horrific conditions in Japanese captivity - and all the "grievous hardships" faced by innocent civilians of occupied territories.

From BBC

Related Words

• appalling 
• atrocious 
• calamitous 
• damaging 
• deplorable 
• dire 
• dreadful 
• egregious 
• flagrant 
• glaring 
• heinous 
• intolerable 
• lamentable 
• monstrous 
• outrageous 
• shameful 
• shocking 
• tragic 
• unbearable