causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; a dangerous operation; a grave situation; a grave illness; grievous bodily harm; a serious wound; a serious turn of events; a severe case of pneumonia; a life-threatening disease

[ Syn: dangerous , grave , serious , severe , life-threatening ]

causing or marked by grief or anguish; a grievous loss; a grievous cry; her sigh was heartbreaking; the heartrending words of Rabins granddaughter

[ Syn: heartbreaking , heartrending ]

of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought; grave responsibilities; faced a grave decision in a time of crisis; a grievous fault; heavy matters of state; the weighty matters to be discussed at the peace conference

[ Syn: grave , heavy , weighty ]

shockingly brutal or cruel; murder is an atrocious crime; a grievous offense against morality; a grievous crime; no excess was too monstrous for them to commit

[ Syn: atrocious , flagitious , monstrous ]