What does grievous mean?
Grievous is a formal adjective meaning extremely serious, severe, or painful. It is commonly used to describe injuries, crimes, mistakes, consequences, and losses, with the implication that the matter is far more serious than an ordinary inconvenience or problem. In some contexts, it also means causing grief or deep distress, particularly when describing sorrow, suffering, or a painful event. The word tends to appear in legal, journalistic, and literary language rather than casual conversation, and its strong emotional and moral force makes it more emphatic than serious or severe. Grievous is especially associated with the established legal expression “grievous bodily harm.” Its historical connection to the Latin gravis, meaning “heavy” or “weighty,” reinforces the idea that something has grave significance and should not be treated lightly. Because it conveys both severity and distress, the word is useful when a description needs to signal that the consequences are exceptionally serious.
adjectiveGrievous means extremely serious, severe, or painful, especially when describing harm, wrongdoing, or loss. It can also mean causing grief or deep distress.
- Extremely serious, severe, or harmful.
- Causing grief, pain, or deep distress.
"The accident caused grievous injuries to several passengers."
"The company admitted that it had made a grievous error in reporting the safety data."
"The loss of her closest friend was a source of grievous sorrow."
Grievous comes from the Latin gravis, meaning “heavy” or “weighty,” so its modern sense reflects something too serious to be treated lightly.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does grievous come from?
Grievous entered English through Old French from Latin gravis, which meant “heavy,” “serious,” or “severe.” Its development preserved the sense of something weighty or deeply significant, while later usage extended the word to describe exceptionally serious harm and wrongdoing. The same Latin root underlies cognates such as grave, gravity, gravitate, and gravitas.
Related word forms
How grievous is actually used
Grievous is formal and commonly carries a strong sense of seriousness or moral weight. It is especially frequent in legal, journalistic, and literary contexts, where it describes exceptionally serious harm, wrongdoing, or loss.
Easily confused with grievous
Grave can mean solemn or serious, whereas grievous emphasizes that something is extremely serious, severe, or painful and is not interchangeable with grave in every context.