grim

adjective

ˈgrim 

grimmer; grimmest

1

: fierce in disposition or action : savage

grim wolves

2

a

: stern or forbidding in action or appearance

a grim taskmaster

b

: somber, gloomy

grim news of the disaster

3

: ghastly, repellent, or sinister in character

a grim tale

4

: unflinching, unyielding

grim determination

grimly adverb

grimness noun

Synonyms

• austere
• dour
• fierce
• flinty
• forbidding
• gruff
• intimidating
• lowering
• louring
• rough
• rugged
• severe
• stark
• steely
• stern
• ungentle

Examples of grim in a Sentence

Hikers made a grim discovery when they came across a dead body in the woods.

The accident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving.

The prognosis is grim—doctors do not expect her to live longer than six months.

He paints a grim picture of the prospects for peace.

His face looked grim, and we knew his news wouldn't be good.

Recent Examples on the Web

And besides fears about unsafe living conditions due to mold in homes, the 12-foot-long pile of debris outside his home is a grim reminder of the last five weeks. —Solcyré Burga, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024

This meticulous preparation paid off, particularly during one of the film’s most harrowing sequences — when the broadcast team receives false information that the hostages have survived, only to later learn the grim truth. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024

Overall, the outlook is grim for stunning fall foliage under continuing climate change. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2024

The scores are still pretty grim across the board, though, showing how much work the industry has to do to protect workers and communities near mines. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "fierce, savage, terrifying, repellent, violent, severe," going back to Old English grimm "fierce, savage, harsh, severe," going back to Germanic *grimma-, from earlier *gremma- (whence also Old Frisian grim, grem "fierce, severe, frightening," Old Saxon grimm "fierce, hostile, severe," Old High German grim, grimmi, Old Norse grimmr), adjective derivative from the base of *grimman- "to rage" (whence Old English & Old Saxon grimman "to rage," Old High German grimmen), probably going back to *ghrem-ne-, nasal present from an Indo-European verbal base *ghrem- "roar, rage," whence Avestan graməṇt- "raging," Greek chremetízein "to neigh, whinny," chrémisan "(they) neighed"; with zero-grade ablaut Old Church Slavic vŭzgrĭmě "thundered, roared," Lithuanian grumiù, grumė́ti "to roar, thunder"; with o-grade ablaut Germanic *gram- (whence Old English, Old Saxon & Old High German gram "angry, hostile, fierce," Old Norse gramr "anger," Old English gremman, gremian "to anger, enrage," Old High German gremmen, Old Norse gremja, Gothic gramjan), Old Church Slavic gromŭ "thunder," Greek chrómos, chrómē (Hesychius) "kind of noise, snorting, neighing," chrómados "grinding of jaws" (cf. chromis)

Note: The base *ghrem- is most likely of onomatopoeic origin, with different semantic developments in the Indo-European branch languages.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing grim

• grim reaper

Kids Definition

grim

adjective

ˈgrim 

grimmer; grimmest

1

: cruel sense 2, fierce

2

a

: stern in action or appearance

b

: dismal sense 1

grim news

c

: depressed

3

: frightful sense 1

a grim tale

4

: unflinching, unyielding

grim determination

grimly adverb

grimness noun