gravamen

noun
UK: /ɡrəˈveɪmən/
US: /ɡrəˈveɪmən/

  1. The most serious part of a complaint or accusation.

    1. The gravamen of his accusation was that I lied.
    2. The gravamen of the report is that safety standards were not met, creating danger.

  2. The essence or substance of a charge or grievance.

    1. The gravamen of the lawsuit is breach of contract.
    2. The gravamen of the debate centered on economic policy and its effects on citizens.

Synonyms

essence crux gist substance heart core burden complaint

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "gravamen" in English means: The most serious part of a complaint or accusation., The essence or substance of a charge or grievance..

The phonetic transcription of "gravamen" is /ɡrəˈveɪmən/ in British English and /ɡrəˈveɪmən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "gravamen": essence, crux, gist, substance, heart, core, burden, complaint.

Example usage of "gravamen": "The gravamen of his accusation was that I lied.". More examples on the page.