Abstract <p>The paper investigates the effects of gravitational force and an inclined load on a thermoelastic solid with voids and a reference temperature. The current study introduces the theoretical theory of refined-phase-lag thermoelasticity. Through normal mode analysis, analytical expressions for various physical fields are derived. Numerical results are presented to offer a comprehensive comparative analysis, highlighting the influence of gravitational force, reference temperature, and inclined load on the behavior of all physical fields analyzed. Additionally, certain specific cases have been derived from the current investigation. The effect of gravity is crucial for applications in geophysics, astronomy, and certain engineering fields where the scale and forces involved make gravitational effects non-negligible.</p>