1
: an excavation (see excavation sense 2) for burial of a body
broadly
: a burial place
2
a
: death sense 1a
believes there is life beyond the grave
b
graver; gravest
1
a
: meriting serious consideration : important
grave problems
b
: likely to produce great harm or danger
a grave mistake
c
: significantly serious : considerable, great
grave importance
d
obsolete
: authoritative, weighty
2
: having a serious and dignified quality or demeanor
a grave and thoughtful look
3
a
of an accent mark
: having the form `
b
: marked with a grave accent
c
: of the variety indicated by a grave accent
4
: low-pitched in sound
5
: drab in color : somber
gravely
adverb
graveness
noun
: a grave accent ` used to show that a vowel is pronounced with a fall of pitch (as in ancient Greek), that a vowel has a certain quality (such as è in French), that a final e is stressed and close and that a final o is stressed and low (as in Italian), that a syllable has a degree of stress between maximum and minimum (as in phonetic transcription), or that the e of the English ending -ed is to be pronounced (as in "this cursèd day")
grave
4 of 6adverb or adjective
gra·ve
ˈgrä-(ˌ)vā 
: slowly and solemnly
—used as a direction in music
graved; graven
ˈgrā-vən
or graved; graving
or graved; graving
1
2
: to impress or fix (a thought, a memory, etc.) deeply
graved; graving
: to clean and pay with pitch
grave a ship's bottom
Synonyms
Examples of grave in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the forlorn boy put flowers on his mother's grave
a rock star who found his early grave in a plane crash
a terrible fear of the grave
Adjective
This violation of school rules is a grave matter.
His carelessness could have grave consequences.
They have placed themselves in grave danger.
I have grave doubts about this plan.
suffering from a grave illness
The judge issued his ruling with a grave expression.
The French word père is written with a grave accent over the first e.
Verb (1)
the doomed climber graved his initials into the rock face
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post, 23 June 2024
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CNN —
About 67 million years ago, two dinosaurs faced off in a showdown in what’s now Montana before being buried together in a single grave.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 June 2024
Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
This practice may also explain another finding: Two of the grave occupants were born to parents who were first cousins.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for grave 
Noun
But this month, the Pentagon’s agency that works to account for missing service members announced that 79 years after the Feb. 8, 1945, battle, the remains in the grave have been identified as those of Dent.
—Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post, 23 June 2024
To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.
CNN —
About 67 million years ago, two dinosaurs faced off in a showdown in what’s now Montana before being buried together in a single grave.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 June 2024
Adjective
When authorities near Jim’s hiding place, Huck must choose whether to expose him; he’s been taught that not doing so is a grave sin.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
This practice may also explain another finding: Two of the grave occupants were born to parents who were first cousins.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for grave
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to grave
Dictionary Entries Near grave
Cite this Entry
“Grave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grave. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
grave
2 of 4 noun1
: a hole dug to bury a body in
2
grave
3 of 4 adjectiveˈgrāv,
in sense 3 often ˈgräv
1
a
: deserving serious consideration : important
a grave matter
b
: threatening great harm or danger
received a grave injury
3
: of, marked by, or being an accent mark having the form `
gravely
adverb
graveness
noun
grave
4 of 4 adverb or adjective
gra·ve
ˈgräv-(ˌ)ā
: in a slow and solemn manner
—used as a direction in music
Medical Definition
grave
adjective
: very serious : dangerous to life
—used of an illness or its prospects
a grave prognosis
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