Other forms: gravest; graved; graving
A grave is the place where a body is buried. Usually, a grave is dug in the ground, and a stone with information about the deceased person marks its location.
Grave is used as an adjective, too. It can describe something serious, or of great importance. If a situation is grave, it is serious and sad, like when a loved one is very sick. Grave can also refer to something that causes fear or anxiety. If you are in grave danger, your personal safety is threatened. If you have a grave personality, you are solemn and dignified and don't joke around very much.
Definitions of grave
noun
a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)
“he put flowers on his mother's grave”
synonyms:tomb
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types:
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burial chamber, sepulcher, sepulchre, sepulture
a chamber that is used as a grave
mastaba, mastabah
an ancient Egyptian mud-brick tomb with a rectangular base and sloping sides and flat roof
crypt
a cellar or vault or underground burial chamber (especially beneath a church)
mausoleum
a large burial chamber, usually above ground
monument, repository
a burial vault (usually for some famous person)
burial vault, vault
a burial chamber (usually underground)
type of:
place, spot, topographic point
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
noun
death of a person
“he went to his grave without forgiving me”
“from cradle to grave”
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type of:
death, demise, dying
the time when something ends
adjective
of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought
“grave responsibilities”
“faced a grave decision in a time of crisis”
synonyms:grievous, heavy, weighty
important, of import
of great significance or value
adjective
causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
“a grave situation”
“a grave illness”
synonyms:dangerous, grievous, life-threatening, serious, severe
critical
being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency
adjective
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
synonyms:sedate, sober, solemn
serious
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
verb
shape (a material like stone or wood) by whittling away at it
synonyms:sculpt, sculpture
sculpt, sculpture
create by shaping stone or wood or any other hard material
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type of:
carve
form by carving
verb
carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface
synonyms:engrave, inscribe, scratch
engrave, etch
carve or cut a design or letters into
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types:
character
engrave or inscribe characters on
type of:
carve, chip at
engrave or cut by chipping away at a surface
Definitions of grave
noun
a mark (`) placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
synonyms:grave accent
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type of:
accent, accent mark
a diacritical mark used to indicate stress or placed above a vowel to indicate a special pronunciation
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘grave'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing grave
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