variants also grewsome

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gruesome different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of gruesome are ghastly, grisly, lurid, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death

Where would ghastly be a reasonable alternative to gruesome?

The words ghastly and gruesome can be used in similar contexts, but ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do lurid and gruesome relate to one another?

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

the lurid details of a crime

When can macabre be used instead of gruesome?

While the synonyms macabre and gruesome are close in meaning, macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gruesome Officers at the time showed up to a gruesome scene. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2025 Last year, Yellowjackets co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco and actress Courtney Eaton, who plays teenage Lottie, told Rolling Stone about filming the gruesome cannibalism episode in season two. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2025 The other quarterback on the roster is Jordan Travis, but the 2024 fifth-round pick didn’t practice this entire year coming off a gruesome leg injury suffered in his final college game. Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025 Ten people were murdered in the New York City subway system last year — including the recent, random and gruesome immolation of a homeless New Jersey woman asleep on a Brooklyn train — up from five murders in 2023. Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for gruesome 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gruesome
Adjective
  • Beloved Hollywood couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco have teamed up on the big screen a handful of times already but their new collaboration tests their coupledom in new and horrific ways.
    Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Fires shine spotlight on power lines Power lines are again drawing the spotlight as a potential cause of the horrific blazes.
    Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Traffic was horrible and the private crews can’t turn on a siren, ignore traffic laws, and drive on the wrong side of the road like public firefighters.
    Joseph Bien-Kahn, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Recommended Trump moves from ‘American carnage’ to ‘a horrible betrayal’ in second inaugural Juries also convicted some on charges of seditious conspiracy, which refers to activities that undermine a state without directly attacking it.
    Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • When a shocking event takes place, many organizations try to send communications out quickly—and these messages tend to be rushed, emotionally driven and sometimes poorly worded or executed.
    Charlotte Sweeney OBE, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • The Proud Boys espouse a vague political ideology of unfettered free speech and nationalism, expressed through offensive language, controversial memes and shocking imagery.
    Will Carless, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • While this is terrible for the environment, customer satisfaction, and retailers’ bottom lines, the truth is the industry has created a monster and easy and free returns have become the basic consumer expectation.
    Steve Dennis, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Gerulaitis’s gallows humour deflects from the fact that his terrible records against Connors and Borg took a big toll on his confidence.
    Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But 2024 Ohio State had the good fortune to suffer that awful day in the first year of a bigger Playoff.
    Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • There is one ray of hope for United fans though amid the awful run of results.
    Ben Church, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Listen to this article California’s blazing wildfires and last year’s destructive hurricanes in the Southeast are frightening examples of the dramatic impacts of climate change.
    Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Coming full circle, the FBI also warned users to beware this frightening new threat in a special advisory last month.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near gruesome

Cite this Entry

“Gruesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gruesome. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gruesome

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