Grisly vs. Grizzly: Gruesome or Bear?

The Distinction

• Grisly = causing horror or disgust; gruesome
• Grizzly = a type of bear; also means gray or gray-haired

Using Grisly

“Grisly” describes something horrifying or revolting:

• “The detective investigated the grisly crime scene.” ✓
• “The documentary revealed grisly details of the war.” ✓
• “It was a grisly accident.” ✓
• “The story took a grisly turn.” ✓

Using Grizzly

“Grizzly” most often refers to the North American bear:

• “A grizzly bear can weigh over 800 pounds.” ✓
• “They spotted a grizzly while hiking.” ✓
• “Grizzly bears are found in Alaska and Canada.” ✓

It can also mean gray or streaked with gray:

• “He had a grizzly beard.” ✓ (gray-streaked)

Memory Trick

• Grisly = think “gris” sounds like “grim”—horrifying
• Grizzly = has two Z’s like the “zzz” of a sleeping bear

Common Error

• “A grizzly murder scene” ✗ → “A grisly murder scene” ✓

Unless a bear committed the crime, use “grisly” for horrifying things.