grief

[ greef ]

noun

1. keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.

   Synonyms: moroseness, melancholy, sadness, misery, woe, heartache, anguish

   Antonyms: joy

2. a cause or occasion of keen distress or sorrow.

verb (used with or without object)

, griefed, grief·ing.

1. Digital Technology.
   1. (in an online video game) to behave in an unsportsmanlike way or take pleasure in antagonizing (other players):

      I reported the jerk who griefed me yesterday—I hope they ban his account.

   2. to exploit a glitch or execute an online prank that ruins a website or other online experience for (users):

      Posting flashing content to an epilepsy site is taking griefing to a malicious and dangerous extreme.

grief

/ ɡriːf /

noun

1. deep or intense sorrow or distress, esp at the death of someone
2. something that causes keen distress or suffering
3. informal.
   trouble or annoyance

   people were giving me grief for leaving ten minutes early

4. come to grief informal.
   to end unsuccessfully or disastrously
5. tune someone grief
   See tune

Derived Forms

• ˈgriefless, adjective

Other Words From

• griefless adjective
• griefless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grief¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English gref, grief, from Anglo-French gref; grieve

Word History and Origins

Origin of grief¹

C13: from Anglo-French gref, from grever to grieve ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. come to grief, to suffer disappointment, misfortune, or other trouble; fail:

   Their marriage came to grief after only two years.

2. good grief, (used as an exclamation of dismay, surprise, or relief ):

   Good grief, it's started to rain again!

More idioms and phrases containing grief

see come to grief ; good grief .

Synonym Study

See sorrow.

Example Sentences

Some sources in government have expressed concerns that the chancellor is creating unnecessary grief over a change that is not, in relative terms, a huge money spinner.

From BBC

He said he believed he was fortunate to have a busy legal career as well as many friends to get through the grief.

From Los Angeles Times

“Great Gold Bird,” a theatrical mystery that touches on love and grief, turns audience members into participants who must travel from Arlington Heights to Los Feliz.

From Los Angeles Times

"My mother is finding it hard to accept the loss of such a close friend. The more I witness her grief, the more I resent the cold-bloodedness of the murderer," the person wrote.

From BBC

The 32-year-old has outlined his battles with drug abuse, fame, grief, self-harm, masculinity and more in a new memoir titled Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak & Dogs.

From BBC

Related Words

• agony
• anguish
• bereavement
• despair
• discomfort
• gloom
• heartache
• heartbreak
• melancholy
• misery
• mourning
• pain
• regret
• remorse
• sadness
• sorrow
• trouble
• unhappiness
• woe
• worry