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Grief synonyms

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sorrow
Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this:
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  1. Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this:
  2. The outward expression of such suffering; mourning; lamentation
  3. A source or cause of sorrow; a misfortune:
gloom
A state of melancholy or depression; despondency.
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  1. A state of melancholy or depression; despondency.
  2. Partial or total darkness; dimness:
  3. A partially or totally dark place, area, or location.
sadness
(Uncountable) The state or emotion of being sad.
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  1. (Uncountable) The state or emotion of being sad.
  2. (Countable) An event in one's life that causes sadness.
regret
Sorrow over a person or thing gone, lost, etc.
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  1. Sorrow over a person or thing gone, lost, etc.
  2. A troubled feeling or remorse over something that has happened, esp. over something that one has done or left undone
  3. A sense of loss and longing for someone or something gone or passed out of existence:
melancholy
(Obs.) Black bile: in medieval times considered to be one of the four humors of the body, to come from the spleen or kidneys, and to cause gloominess, irritability, or depression
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  1. (Obs.) Black bile: in medieval times considered to be one of the four humors of the body, to come from the spleen or kidneys, and to cause gloominess, irritability, or depression
  2. Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom.
  3. The condition of having, or the disorder supposed to result from having, too much black bile
vexation
The condition of being vexed; annoyance:
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  1. The condition of being vexed; annoyance:
  2. A source of irritation or annoyance:
  3. Something that vexes; cause of annoyance or distress
mourning
The period during which a death is mourned.
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  1. The period during which a death is mourned.
  2. Black clothes, drapery, etc. worn or displayed as a conventional sign of grief for the dead
  3. The actions or feelings of one who mourns; specif., the expression of grief at someone's death
misery
A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
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  1. A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
  2. The state of suffering and want as a result of physical circumstances or extreme poverty.
  3. A cause of such suffering; pain, sorrow, poverty, squalor, etc.
trouble
A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
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  1. A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
  2. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:
  3. A condition of pain, disease, or malfunction:
anguish
Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
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  1. Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
  2. Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment.
depression
The condition of feeling sad or despondent.
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  1. The condition of feeling sad or despondent.
  2. A reduction in physiological vigor or activity:
  3. A mood disorder characterized by an inability to experience pleasure, difficulty in concentrating, disturbance of sleep and appetite, and feelings of sadness, guilt, and helplessness.
despondency
Depression of spirits from loss of hope, confidence, or courage; dejection.
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  1. Depression of spirits from loss of hope, confidence, or courage; dejection.
  2. A feeling of depression or disheartenment.
pain
Great care or effort
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  1. Great care or effort
  2. (Informal) A source of annoyance; a nuisance:
  3. Bodily suffering characterized by such feelings:
worry
A troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
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  1. A troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
  2. The act of worrying or the condition of being worried; persistent mental uneasiness:
  3. Something that causes anxiety
harassment
Deliberate pestering or annoying.
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  1. Deliberate pestering or annoying.
  2. Unjustifiable conduct, typically persistent and repetitive, aimed at an individual, that causes distress or discomfort. Unjustifiable conduct, typically persistent and repetitive, aimed at an individual, that causes distress or discomfort.
  3. Persistent attacks and criticism causing worry and distress.
anxiety
A cause of anxiety:
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  1. A cause of anxiety:
  2. (Psychiatry) An abnormal state like this, characterized by a feeling of being powerless and unable to cope with threatening events, typically imaginary, and by physical tension, as shown by sweating, trembling, etc.
  3. A state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation. &diamf3; In psychiatry, a patient has an anxiety disorder &diamf3; if normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause.
woe
A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
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  1. A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
  2. Sorrow or grief; misery.
  3. A cause of sorrow; affliction; trouble
heartache
Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
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  1. Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
  2. Emotional anguish; sorrow.
  3. Very sincere and difficult emotional problems or stress
repining
The act of fretting or feeling discontent or of murmuring.
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  1. The act of fretting or feeling discontent or of murmuring.
lamentation
A lament.
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  1. A lament.
  2. The act of lamenting; outward expression of grief; esp., a weeping or wailing
dole
Anything given out sparingly
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  1. Anything given out sparingly
  2. A share of money, food, or clothing that has been charitably given:
  3. A giving out of money or food to those in great need; relief
dolor
(Old Poet.) Sorrow; grief
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  1. (Old Poet.) Sorrow; grief
  2. (R.C.Ch.) One of the seven traditional sorrows in the life of the Virgin Mary
malaise
A vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness, as early in an illness
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  1. A vague feeling of physical discomfort or uneasiness, as early in an illness
  2. A general sense of depression or unease:
  3. Any vague feeling of uneasiness, often, specif., one that is pervasive in a community
disquiet
Absence of peace or rest; anxiety.
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  1. Absence of peace or rest; anxiety.
  2. A disturbed or uneasy feeling; anxiety; restlessness
discomfort
Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience
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  1. Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience
  2. Something that disturbs one's comfort; an annoyance.
  3. Anything causing this
smart
(Slang) Intelligence; expertise:
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  1. (Slang) Intelligence; expertise:
  2. Sharp pain or anguish:
  3. A smarting sensation, pain or distress
mortification
Something causing shame, humiliation, etc.
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  1. Something causing shame, humiliation, etc.
  2. Discipline of the body and the appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation, especially when undertaken for religious reasons.
  3. A feeling of shame, humiliation, or wounded pride.
affliction
Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
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  1. Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
  2. An afflicted condition; pain; suffering
unhappiness
The feeling of not being happy
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  1. The feeling of not being happy
infelicity
The quality or condition of being infelicitous.
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  1. The quality or condition of being infelicitous.
  2. (Uncountable) The condition of being infelicitous
  3. Something infelicitous; unsuitable or inapt remark, action, etc.
desolation
The state of being abandoned or forsaken; loneliness:
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  1. The state of being abandoned or forsaken; loneliness:
  2. A desolate condition
  3. Lonely grief; misery
despair
A person or thing causing despair
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  1. A person or thing causing despair
  2. One despaired of or causing despair:
  3. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
agony
A sudden, strong outburst (of emotion)
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  1. A sudden, strong outburst (of emotion)
  2. A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.
  3. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain:
torture
The inflicting of severe pain, often, specif., in order to obtain information or a confession, get revenge, etc.
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  1. The inflicting of severe pain, often, specif., in order to obtain information or a confession, get revenge, etc.
  2. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.
  3. An experience or cause of severe pain or anguish:
purgatory
(Theol.) A state or place in which, in Roman Catholicism and other Christian doctrine, those who have died in the grace of God expiate their sins by suffering
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  1. (Theol.) A state or place in which, in Roman Catholicism and other Christian doctrine, those who have died in the grace of God expiate their sins by suffering
  2. (Roman Catholic Church) A state in which the souls of those who have died in grace must expiate their sins.
  3. A place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse:
affliction
Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
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  1. Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
  2. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress:
tribulation
Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering:
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  1. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering:
  2. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
vexation
Something that vexes; cause of annoyance or distress
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  1. Something that vexes; cause of annoyance or distress
  2. A source of irritation or annoyance:
  3. The condition of being vexed; annoyance:
heartache
Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
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  1. Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
  2. Very sincere and difficult emotional problems or stress
  3. Emotional anguish; sorrow.
heartbreak
Overwhelming mental anguish or grief, especially that caused by loss or disappointment
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  1. Overwhelming mental anguish or grief, especially that caused by loss or disappointment
  2. Overwhelming sorrow, grief, or disappointment
sorrow
The outward expression of such suffering; mourning; lamentation
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  1. The outward expression of such suffering; mourning; lamentation
  2. Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this:
  3. A source or cause of sorrow; a misfortune:
Find another word for grief. In this page you can discover 50 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for grief, like: sorrow, gloom, sadness, regret, melancholy, vexation, mourning, misery, trouble, anguish and bereavement.

Sentence Examples

  • To the grief of his mother he left the Roman church.

  • She exhibited great grief at his death.

  • The grief was so strong that it became a nauseating pain.

  • Grief made people say cruel things, sometimes.

  • Grief had overwhelmed her so completely, it was like a bad dream she could not shake off.

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Words that mention grief in the Dictionary

Words near grief in the Thesaurus