gruesome

or grew·some

[ groo-suhm ]

adjective

1. causing great horror; horribly repugnant; grisly:

   the site of a gruesome murder.

2. full of or causing problems; distressing:

   a gruesome day at the office.

gruesome

/ ˈɡruːsəm /

adjective

1. inspiring repugnance and horror; ghastly

Derived Forms

• ˈgruesomeness, noun
• ˈgruesomely, adverb

Other Words From

• gruesome·ly adverb
• gruesome·ness noun
• un·gruesome adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gruesome¹

1560–70; obsolete grue to shudder (cognate with German grauen, Dutch gruwen ) + -some ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of gruesome¹

C16: originally Northern English and Scottish; see grue , -some ¹

Example Sentences

As they carried out their gruesome task, another investigation was under way 100 miles south in Lancaster, north west England.

From BBC

Burkina Faso's armed forces say they are investigating a gruesome video that purports to show military volunteers hacking apart a dead body with machetes, while gloating to the camera.

From BBC

The two brothers have spent more than three decades in prison after being sentenced to life without parole in the gruesome killing of their parents.

From Los Angeles Times

Her gruesome death, aged just 33, has attracted visitors to her grave in the grounds of Malmesbury Abbey ever since.

From BBC

Initially, police speculated the killings were a mafia hit based on the gruesome scene in the home.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appalling
• frightful
• ghastly
• grim
• grisly
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrid
• horrific
• horrifying
• lurid
• macabre
• morbid
• shocking
• terrible
• terrifying
• ugly
• weird