grizzly

American  

[griz-lee] / ˈgrɪz li /

adjective

grizzlier, grizzliest

1. somewhat gray; grayish.

2. having hair that is gray; gray-haired.

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noun

plural

grizzlies

1. grizzly bear.

2. a device for screening ore, consisting of a row of iron or steel bars.

grizzly British  

/ ˈɡrɪzlɪ /

adjective

1. somewhat grey; grizzled

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noun

1. See grizzly bear

Usage

Grizzly is sometimes wrongly used where grisly is meant: a grisly (not grizzly ) murder

Etymology

Origin of grizzly

First recorded in 1585–95; grizzle ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

It’s all pretty grizzly, and it’s increasingly mundane.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

Unsurprisingly, War Secretary Warrior-Ethos-Man appeared on Fox News the next day to brag about this pitiful behavior, acting as if he’d won a wrestling match with a grizzly bear.

From Salon • Dec. 3, 2025

Draganov treats him like a grizzly bear, hissing “Don’t move!” to an underling when Korpi makes eye contact with their car.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

Within a few weeks, her collar showed she had traveled 90 miles, a grizzly commute across four freeways and into the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu where bears had rarely been seen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

Slipping and sliding, she reached the south bank as the grizzly staggered for­ ward, then crumpled to its knees and sat down.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George