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

Derived Forms

• ˈgrievously, adverb
• ˈgrievousness, noun

Other Words From

• griev·ous·ly adverb
• griev·ous·ness noun
• non·griev·ous adjective
• non·griev·ous·ness noun
• o·ver·griev·ous adjective
• o·ver·griev·ous·ness 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

He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was handed a 10-year restraining order, as well as being sent to prison.

From BBC

Mead also pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon - namely a hammer.

From BBC

A man appeared in court on Monday charged with grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident.

From BBC

They included two previous escapes, nine house burglaries, three bladed weapon offences, grievous bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm.

From BBC

A teenager, from Billericay, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and is being questioned.

From BBC

Related Words

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