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Definition of grievous

grievous

/ˈɡriː.vəs/
grie · vous
Adverb:grievously
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grievous Lexical Profile

grievous Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having very serious, severe, or damaging effects (especially of an injury, loss, error, or offense).

Example

"Failing to back up the database before the system upgrade turned out to be a grievous mistake."

2

Causing or characterized by intense sorrow, anguish, or emotional suffering.

Example

"The sudden closure of the historic theater was a grievous loss to the local arts community."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for grievous
Antonyms
View all antonyms for grievous

Word Nuance & Usage

Frequently misspelled and mispronounced as "grevious" with an extra "i" sound; the correct spelling is "grievous" (two syllables: GREE-vuhs), directly mirroring the noun "grief".

• Rhymes for grievous

• Nearby Words

grievance
grieve
griever
grievous
grievously
griffin
griffon

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French grevos (meaning "heavy, hard, or painful"), which ultimately derives from Latin gravis ("heavy" or "serious"), sharing a root with words like "grave" and "gravity".

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Grievous. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/grievous
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