adjective

grisly

GRIZ-lee/ˈɡrɪzli/

Causing horror or disgust.

The decomposing carcass makes a grisly sight beside the woodland path.

A partially decomposed deer carcass lies beside a woodland path, its exposed rib cage, scraps of matted fur, and clustered flies making the discovery visibly grisly rather than merely a clean skeleton.

Etymology

Grisly connects horror with the bodily reaction of shuddering: it describes something dreadful enough to provoke that response. Its association with violence or death preserves this central idea.

In context

Great Art Explained11:07

Remember that for viewers at the time all of the grisly details were well known. Here we have the concealed bloody axe

The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault: Great Art Explained

More examples

Workers made a grisly discovery when they uncovered human remains.
The newspaper spared readers the grisly details of the accident.
His latest novel is even grislier than the last.

Forms

grisly · grislier · grisliest

grisliness noun — The quality of causing horror or disgust.

Similar words

gruesome: Often emphasizes disturbing physical details, especially injuries or death.
macabre: Emphasizes death and its eerie or unsettling aspects.
horrifying: Broader term for causing intense fear, shock, or distress.