Grisly: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is often used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant and involves horror, especially related to death or injury.

• The detective was met with a grisly crime scene.
• The movie contained some truly grisly scenes.

Gruesome is used for things that are horrifying, repellent, or involve a lot of blood and violence.

• The details of the murder were too gruesome to discuss.
• There was a gruesome accident on the highway.

Macabre is often used to describe things that are disturbing because they are connected with death and decay. It has an element of the bizarre or unnatural.

• His artwork often has a macabre theme.
• They told a macabre tale of a haunted graveyard.

Ghastly typically describes something that is shockingly horrible, causing fear, and often suggests a pale, deathly appearance.

• She looked ghastly after hearing the news.
• The haunted house had a ghastly atmosphere.

Typically used to describe something that is extremely unpleasant and frightening, often because it involves death or injury.

• The detective arrived at the scene of a grisly murder

Used to describe something that is extremely repulsive or horrifying, particularly in a violent or graphic manner. Often used in the context of scenes involving injury or death.

• The horror movie was filled with gruesome scenes

This word is applied to situations, stories, or scenes that are disturbing because they involve death or injury, often with a focus on the more disturbing aspects of death.

• The artist's work had a macabre quality, featuring skeletons and dark themes

Often used to describe something that is shocking, very bad, or unpleasant. It conveys a sense of horror or disgust, but can also refer to something that looks pale or deathly.

• She looked ghastly after hearing the news