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

US scientist Dr Fred Ramsdell was on the last day of a three-week hike with his wife Laura O'Neill and their two dogs, deep in Montana's grizzly bear country, when Ms O'Neill suddenly started screaming.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

When the pair reached a small town that afternoon, his wife started screaming, and Ramsdell thought she spotted a grizzly bear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2025

He remembered their ferocious growls and snarls when the grizzly appeared.

From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis