grievously

American  

[gree-vuhs-lee] / ˈgri vəs li /

adverb

1. in a way that causes or shows grief, sorrow, pain, or suffering.

   There is no denying that the inmates were grievously malnourished.

   The first marine he reached was grievously wounded, and his medical assistance was undoubtedly instrumental in saving the man's life.

2. in a way that is flagrant or outrageous.

   The accomplished actress is grievously wasted as a femme fatale who doesn't utter a single word.

   The court concluded that the manager had put himself in a position in which his own private interests conflicted grievously with those of his employer.

3. in a way that is burdensome or oppressive.

   The energy necessary to manufacture sufficient solar collectors would itself add grievously to the global burden of pollution and greenhouse gas.

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Other Word Forms

• nongrievously adverb
• overgrievously adverb

Etymology

Origin of grievously

grievous ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

How do grievously wounded combatants power through to achieve extraordinary feats of heroism?

From The Wall Street Journal

Each loved nature and beauty and harmony, suffered grievously under American settlement and finally succeeded by being true to its heritage.

From The Wall Street Journal

The use of this ancient wartime power, which was only used three times before, and grievously abused in the case of the Japanese and Italian American internment, is an attack on common sense.

From Salon

“Midnight was closing in, the one-legged woman was grievously burned, and the Mumbai police were coming for Abdul and his father,” Boo’s book begins.

From Los Angeles Times

These actions shocked the conscience and grievously damaged the country.

From Salon

Related Words

• acutely
• badly
• intensely
• severely
• sorely
• very