adj Uncommon

grievous

GREE-vuhs

Grievous (adj) means Very serious or severe, especially describing harm, pain, or wrongdoing. Example: “He suffered a grievous injury in the crash.”

adj

Very serious or severe, especially describing harm, pain, or wrongdoing.

"He suffered a grievous injury in the crash."

"The scandal was a grievous error in judgment for the company."

How to use grievous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishExtremely serious, severe, or painful — a formal word often used for injuries or wrongs.

When to use it

Fairly formal; common in legal contexts like "grievous bodily harm."

Common pairings

grievous bodily harm a grievous mistake grievous wound

Word forms

more grievous comparative, most grievous superlative

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He suffered a _____ injury in the crash.

Etymology

From Old French grevous, related to Latin gravāre ("to burden") — built on the same root as "grief" and "grieve."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for grievous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

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Frequently asked questions

What does “grievous” mean?

The word “grievous” means very serious or severe, especially describing harm, pain, or wrongdoing. In plain terms, extremely serious, severe, or painful — a formal word often used for injuries or wrongs.

How do you pronounce “grievous”?

“Grievous” is pronounced GREE-vuhs (/ˈɡɹiː.vəs/ in IPA).

How do you use “grievous” in a sentence?

Here is “grievous” used in a sentence: “He suffered a grievous injury in the crash.”

What part of speech is “grievous”?

“Grievous” is an adjective.

Where does the word “grievous” come from?

The word “grievous” comes from Latin. From Old French grevous, related to Latin gravāre ("to burden") — built on the same root as "grief" and "grieve.".

Is “grievous” a common word?

“Grievous” is an uncommon word in modern English.