Grisly, a.
Etymology: [OE, grisly, grislich, AS. grislic, gryslic, fr. gro shudder; cf. OD. grijselick horrible, OHG. grisenlch, and also AS. gresan to frighten, and E. gruesome.]
Frightful; horrible; dreadful; harsh; as, grisly locks; a grisly specter. "Grisly to behold." Chaucer. A man of grisly and stern gravity. Robynson (More's Utopia). Grisly bear. (Zoöl.) See under Grizzly.
Shades of meaning
Fernald lists grisly only as an antonym, under beautiful.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.
Synonyms
none given