The US invasion of Iraq was one of the gravest acts of aggression in modern history.
Source: tatoeba (10692381)
Gravest
Synonyms for "gravest" (10 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: critical, dire, grave, most criminal, serious.
- Sentence evidence is available for gravest, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "gravest".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "gravest"
Keep "gravest" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "gravest" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "gravest", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "gravest" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriescrime categorydegree adjectivelaw violationmood descriptormoral categoryquality descriptortone descriptor
More specific
12 entriescapital crimedignified posturegenocidegreatest threatgrim bearingmass murdermost grave consequencemost serious riskmost severe penaltyserious demeanorsolemn tonewar crime
Collocations
6 entriesgravest concerngravest dangergravest offensegravest threatgravest tonegravest warning
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
Hunting for ivory on the African continent has tripled, and elephants now are facing their gravest crisis in decades, according to the U.N. Environmental Protection Agency and other conservation groups.
Source: tatoeba (12154731)
"Thou wilt get an aged woman before thy years. Thou seemest ignorant of that best preservative of bright eyes and fresh looks — repose ; and unwittingly thou gravest a new wrinkle on thy brow, with each hour thou livest!"
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "gravest"?
Closest matches include critical, dire, grave, most criminal, serious.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "gravest"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.