grievous

/ˈgrivəs/

/ˈgrivɪs/

If something is called grievous, you better take it seriously. Grievous is used to describe horrible things like tragedies or crimes. If you have a grievous wound, a band aid simply won't do.

Grievous is derived from the noun grief, which means "sadness." When something is grievous, therefore, it's not just bad, but so bad that it causes unusually intense shock or sadness. It's often used to describe crimes and other bad deeds that go beyond mere criminality and into the world of cruelty. For example, it's harmful to steal from someone; it's grievous to steal from them and then, having stolen their stuff, beat them up or kill them.

Definitions of grievous

1. adjective

   causing or marked by grief or anguish
   “a grievous loss”

   “a grievous cry”

   synonyms: heart-wrenching, heartbreaking, heartrending

   sorrowful

   experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss
2. adjective

   causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
   “grievous bodily harm”

   synonyms: dangerous, grave, life-threatening, serious, severe

   critical

   being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency
3. adjective

   shockingly brutal or cruel
   “a grievous offense against morality”

   “a grievous crime”

   synonyms: atrocious, flagitious, monstrous

   evil

   morally bad or wrong
4. adjective

   of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought
   “a grievous fault”

   synonyms: grave, heavy, weighty

   important, of import

   of great significance or value