German word

gravierend

Pronunciation

IPA/gʁaˈviːʁənt/

Meaning

  • adjectiveserious

Example

Das hat gravierende Folgen.

That has serious consequences.

Illustration for gravierend (serious)

More examples

Im Bericht wurden gravierende Mängel festgestellt.

Serious deficiencies were identified in the report.

Core concept

A weight presses down so strongly that the situation demands a serious response.

Common phrases

  • gravierende Folgen

    serious consequences

  • gravierende Mängel

    serious deficiencies

  • gravierende Probleme

    serious problems

Similar words

ernst: Important or dangerous enough to require serious attention.
schlimm: Very bad in a way that causes difficulty, harm, or distress.
kritisch: In a dangerous situation requiring careful judgment and immediate attention.
schwerwiegend: Having far-reaching effects that can cause greater harm if ignored.

Definition in German

So schwerwiegend, dass Entscheidungen oder Maßnahmen nötig werden.

Word origin

Gravierend comes from Latin gravis, meaning 'heavy', through the idea of something weighing heavily on a situation.

Usage tips

  • Gravierend is more formal than everyday words such as 'ernst' or 'schlimm' and is especially common with Folgen, Probleme, and Fehler.

Other meanings

  • graveadjective
  • significantadjective

Opposites

  • unwesentlichinsignificantadjective
  • banaltrivialadjective

Word lists with this word