grimly

American  

[grim-lee] / ˈgrɪm li /

adverb

1. in a stern, sinister, fierce, or forbidding way.

   The mood has turned bleak here as the populace prepares grimly for a period of prolonged hardship and, they fear, war.

   For many years, art was forbidden in the country unless it was grimly, dully figurative or a gaudy mural glorifying the dictator’s regime.

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Etymology

Origin of grimly

First recorded before 1000; grim ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grimly

Another insider joked grimly: "It's been a really hard week – stronger words could be used."

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Neither of us knew what the other was dealing with until years later, when, as adults, we were able to laugh grimly over our late arrival to a world of clothes that actually fit.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

Holding a pen like a gun grimly acknowledges Irish history, opposition to British rule as well as the sectarian Troubles between Protestants and Catholics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

“It’s just a hole in the ground,” he says grimly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2025

“This is it,” she says grimly, reaching for the door.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Related Words

• brutally
• firmly
• powerfully