🇬🇧🇨🇳 grim - 严峻 : English Lesson

Meaning of "grim" ("严峻"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

If something is grim, it feels very serious, sad, or a bit scary, like bad news or a situation that does not look happy at all.

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

The mood at the dinner table turned grim when Mom said the mysterious green casserole was made from “leftovers of leftovers.”

Our dog gave us a grim stare when he realized the “special treat” was actually a bath.

The movie got grim when the ice cream fell off the cone in slow motion and splatted on the sidewalk.

The teacher’s face looked grim as she walked in holding a giant stack of math tests and a red pen.

The dentist gave a grim look at my teeth, then asked if I had been brushing with candy instead of toothpaste.

At the hospital door she stopped. The grim lobby smelled of bleach; a grim nurse held a grim clipboard and a grim chart fluttered by the grim window. Her hands trembled. Inside, the old man opened his eyes and offered a small grin. The woman's breath released; the grim weight lifted.

This word is at the C2 level, which means it represents the highest mastery of English. It’s often used in specialized or highly formal contexts and helps you communicate with precision and subtlety, much like a native speaker.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.