gruesome

adjective

grue·​some ˈgrü-səm 

variants or less commonly grewsome

: inspiring horror or repulsion : grisly

gruesome stories of wounded comrades

gruesomely adverb

gruesomeness noun

Synonyms

• appalling
• atrocious
• awful
• dreadful
• frightful
• ghastly
• grisly
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• horrific
• horrifying
• lurid
• macabre
• monstrous
• nightmare
• nightmarish
• shocking
• terrible
• terrific

Choose the Right Synonym for gruesome

ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect.

ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

Examples of gruesome in a Sentence

The police report described the scene in gruesome detail.

didn't stick around to hear the gruesome details of the car accident

Recent Examples on the Web

But the crossover ends there, as RoboCop is definitely not a kids movie–brutally violent, gruesome, filled with foul language, and nudity. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Nov. 2024

With one of Ohio’s largest and most gruesome homicides back in the headlines, here’s a reminder about the facts in the case and who’s who. —Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 27 Nov. 2024

Kayce represents every viewer who doesn't want to look at the gruesome remains of a heroic character but wants answers. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024

To conceal the gruesome collection of bodies at the funeral home locations, the couple prevented outsiders from entering their buildings, covered the windows and doors, and lied about the source of the odor, the federal indictment said. —Hank Sanders, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier growsome, from English dialect grow, grue to shiver, from Middle English gruen, probably from Middle Dutch grūwen; akin to Old High German ingrūēn to shiver

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gruesome

adjective

grue·​some ˈgrü-səm 

: causing horror or disgust : horrible

gruesomely adverb

gruesomeness noun