grievous
Causing severe anguish
Grievous describes something causing severe suffering, pain, or sorrow: a grievous injury, a grievous loss.
It can also characterize actions that are seriously wrong or harmful: a grievous error, grievous bodily harm.
The word carries formal or literary weight, appearing more often in legal contexts and solemn speech than casual conversation.
Weighty and requiring attention
- direExtremely serious or urgent
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- acuteIntensely severe or perceptive
- extremeFurthest from moderate
profound · drastic · harsh · egregious · flagrant · heinous · atrocious · deplorable
Deserving strong disapproval
- mournfulShowing or feeling grief
- dolefulExpressing deep sorrow
- woefulExtremely sad or pitiful
- heartbreakingCausing intense emotional anguish
heartrending · anguished · tragic · plaintive · piteous · pitiful · distressing · harrowing
Causing physical harm
- damagingCausing loss or injury
- detrimentalCausing harm or damage
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
- perniciousGradually and subtly harmful
ruinous · destructive · hurtful · wounding · crippling · devastating · calamitous · disastrous
Unjustly harsh or stifling
- onerousInvolving excessive difficulty
- heavyOf great mass
- weightyHeavy or significant
- crushingOverwhelming in intensity
overwhelming · taxing · arduous · trying · troublesome · demanding · difficult · hard to bear
serious
Weighty and requiring attention
- direExtremely serious or urgent
- criticalExpressing disapproval or importance
- acuteIntensely severe or perceptive
extreme · profound · drastic · harsh · egregious · flagrant · heinous · atrocious · deplorable · aggravated
lamentable
Deserving strong disapproval
heartbreaking · heartrending · anguished · tragic · plaintive · piteous · pitiful · distressing · harrowing · painful
injurious
Causing physical harm
- damagingCausing loss or injury
- detrimentalCausing harm or damage
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
pernicious · ruinous · destructive · hurtful · wounding · crippling · devastating · calamitous · disastrous · catastrophic
oppressive
Unjustly harsh or stifling
crushing · overwhelming · taxing · arduous · trying · troublesome · demanding · difficult · hard to bear · unbearable
grievoustrivial
Lacking significance or weight
slight · minor · negligible · insignificant · trifling
grievouspleasant
Giving enjoyment or comfort
joyful · pleasing · gratifying · delightful · comforting
grievousvenial
Forgivable, minor offense
pardonable · forgivable · excusable · minor · petty
- grievous harmSerious physical damage
- grievous bodily harmSerious intentional physical injury
- General Grievous