GRAVE Synonyms: 298 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'grave' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of grave are earnest , sedate , serious , sober , solemn , and staid . While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude. // read the proclamation in a grave voice

Q: When can 'earnest' be used instead of 'grave'?

The synonyms earnest and grave are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose. // an earnest reformer

Q: Where would 'sedate' be a reasonable alternative to 'grave'?

The words sedate and grave can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness. // remained sedate amid the commotion

Q: When would 'serious' be a good substitute for 'grave'?

While the synonyms serious and grave are close in meaning, serious implies a concern for what really matters. // a serious play about social injustice

Q: In what contexts can 'sober' take the place of 'grave'?

Although the words sober and grave have much in common, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity. // a sober look at the state of our schools

Q: When is 'solemn' a more appropriate choice than 'grave'?

The words solemn and grave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity. // a sad and solemn occasion

Q: When might 'staid' be a better fit than 'grave'?

In some situations, the words staid and grave are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint. // a quiet and staid community

grave 1 of 3

noun

ˈgrāv

Definition of grave next

as in tomb

a final resting place for a dead person the forlorn boy put flowers on his mother's grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in death

the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities a rock star who found his early grave in a plane crash

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as in dead

the state of being dead a terrible fear of the grave

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grave

2 of 3

adjective

ˈgrāv

as in serious

having a matter of importance as its topic leaving gossip and celebrities to other magazines, this journal focuses on the grave issues confronting the nation

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as in dangerous

involving potential loss or injury going over Niagara Falls poses a grave danger

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as in solemn

not joking or playful in mood or manner when I asked him how his dog was doing, he looked grave and said, "Not good"

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as in deep

having a low musical pitch or range a grave hexachord

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grave

3 of 3

verb

ˈgrāv

as in to etch

to cut (as letters or designs) on a hard surface the doomed climber graved his initials into the rock face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word grave different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of grave are earnest, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

When can earnest be used instead of grave?

The synonyms earnest and grave are sometimes interchangeable, but earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Where would sedate be a reasonable alternative to grave?

The words sedate and grave can be used in similar contexts, but sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When would serious be a good substitute for grave?

While the synonyms serious and grave are close in meaning, serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

In what contexts can sober take the place of grave?

Although the words sober and grave have much in common, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When is solemn a more appropriate choice than grave?

The words solemn and grave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When might staid be a better fit than grave?

In some situations, the words staid and grave are roughly equivalent. However, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of grave

Noun

If you’re priced out of Park Slope or Windsor Terrace, the place to look, apparently, is next to Boss Tweed’s grave. —

Clio Chang, Curbed, 30 Jan. 2025 Their legs lay asymmetrically, and the graves are entirely barren of any goods, except for a single stone armband dating to around 2,200 years ago. —

Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025

Adjective

But removed from the battle, its grave tone and sepulchral mood feel bizarre and overwrought. —

Stephen Kearse, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025 The Texas firm withdrew its proposal in June after Chesterton residents expressed opposition and town officials stated their grave reservations. —

Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for grave

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grave

Noun

The king later did public penance for this at Becket’s tomb in Canterbury.

— Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
In 2022, for instance, Martinez and her team at the University of Santo Domingo discovered a 6.5-foot-tall, 4,300-foot-long tunnel some 40 feet beneath the temple while searching for the tomb.

— Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025