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grisly

grisly

38 7.4
Something that makes you feel fear or disgust
  • adjective
  • /ˈɡrɪzli/
  • NSFW
translation icon : espeluznante
  • The report contained grisly details that left many readers in shock.
  • grisly details
  • a grisly murder
  • a grisly picture

It's horrifying, you know, kind of really dark and grisly.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • New details today in the grisly murder of a local family found earlier this week.

  • Remember that for viewers at the time, all of the grisly details were well known.

  • And he described how he did it in grisly detail.

  • The scene on the top of the rise was a grisly one, indeed.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • ...was shocked today with reports of a grisly mass murder scene.

  • The description was so grisly and so disgusting that he could not finish reading it.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • My father had warned me that war is grisly beyond imagining.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The grisly discovery was made by a housekeeper at approximately 8.30 this morning.

  • Llewellyn Moss, the character for whom the reader cheers, stumbles upon a grisly murder scene.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Local newspapers reported grisly details of the dismemberment and bodily mutilation of the victims of Wari's attacks.

    Academic text (1997)

Synonyms

horrible
vsgrisly
1.5

Very bad or frightening in a way that makes you feel upset

emphasizes repellent disgust as the central reaction
disgusting
vsgrisly
531 1.3

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making you feel sick

is more specifically shockingly repellent and horror-inducing
gross
vsgrisly
  • Informal
280 2.3

Very unpleasant and making you feel sick or disgusted

is more about shocking horror and repulsion than ordinary unpleasantness
hideous
vsgrisly
171 5.1

Very ugly and likely to make people feel shocked or disgusted

adds a strong sense of shocking repulsion beyond mere ugliness
gruesome
vsgrisly
  • NSFW
90 6.2

Shocking and unpleasant because it shows death or serious injury

is about shock and disgust more generally, not only bodily harm
appalling
vsgrisly
87 5.6

Causing shock and strong disgust because it is very bad

focuses more narrowly on causing disgust and repulsion
horrendous
vsgrisly
82 7.0

Very shocking and scary, causing fear or disgust

leans more toward strong disgust or repulsion than general dread
repulsive
vsgrisly
59 5.5

Causing strong dislike or disgust, like a very bad smell

adds a stronger element of horror and shock to that disgust
grim
vsgrisly
57 4.5

Very bad and shocking, causing people to feel fear or sadness

is more about strong disgust or repulsion than general bleakness
horrid
vsgrisly
52 4.1

A very unpleasant thing that shocks or disgusts you

is more focused on shocking repulsion and physical disgust
ghastly
vsgrisly
49 6.8

Causing great fear and shock, often like death or ghosts

is more focused on physical repulsion and disgust than eeriness
yucky
vsgrisly
  • Informal
22 6.8

Not pleasant to taste or smell

is shockingly repellent in a broader, more serious way
nightmarish
vsgrisly
17 7.0

Very frightening and unpleasant, like a bad dream

is centered on repellent shock rather than surreal fear
macabre
vsgrisly
  • NSFW
14 8.7

Strange and upsetting because it shows death or injury

is shockingly repellent but not limited to morbid depictions
revolting
vsgrisly
6 4.9

Very unpleasant and likely to make you feel disgusted

carries more horror and shock in addition to aversion
repellent
vsgrisly
5 6.1

Causing strong dislike or disgust

is more intensely shocking and causes horror rather than mere offense
godawful
vsgrisly
  • Informal
4 8.2

Very bad and unpleasant, of poor quality

focuses specifically on causing horror or disgust, not just badness
shuddersome
vsgrisly
9.9

Causing strong fear or disgust that makes you shiver

is defined more by shocking repulsion than by a simple shudder
disgustful
vsgrisly
6.7

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making people feel sick

adds a harsher sense of shocking repulsion beyond general offense

Antonyms

314 1.0

Giving a gentle feeling of enjoyment

202 2.0

Something very pleasant that makes you happy

How Horrifying

horrific
179 5.5
ghastly
49 6.8
grisly
  • NSFW
38 7.4
disgusting
531 1.3
disturbing
304 4.2
unsettling
64 4.2

Surface Forms

grisly positive
grislier comparative
grisliest superlative

Morphology

grisly = gris + ly

Although the form looks like a base + the adjectival suffix '-ly', the base 'gris' is not a productive or recognizable modern English word, so learners cannot derive the meaning from the components.

Etymology

Grisly can be linked to an old word gris meaning 'fear' or 'horror', so a helpful way to remember it is to think of the familiar word grim, which also feels cold and severe. That's why grisly means causing horror or disgust.