sad

1 of 2

adjective

sadder; saddest
Synonyms of sadnext
1
a
: affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness : downcast
b(1)
: causing or associated with grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
(2)
: regrettable, deplorable
… a sad relaxation of morals.C. W. Cunnington
c
: of little worth
2
: of a dull somber color
sadness noun

SAD

2 of 2

abbreviation

seasonal affective disorder

Examples of sad in a Sentence

Adjective He's feeling sad because his pet died. People were sad that he was leaving. The experience left her sadder but wiser. Have you heard the sad news about his wife's illness? It'll be a sad day when you leave us. a movie with a sad ending He lived a sad life. The sad fact of the matter is that they are right. The new version is a sad imitation of the original movie. We needed more money but, sad to say, there wasn't any.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The report found that 80% of readers have tried a new genre this year, including on-the-rise subgenres like cozy fantasy, cowboy romance, sad girl fiction, dark academia and afrofuturism, among others. Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025 The lettuce, which can often become sad and limp in prepared salads, was crisp and green. Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025 Police in Justice, Illinois, sad human remains found over the weekend have been identified as a man who has been missing since early November. Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025 Afterward, Francisco Antonio ran through his future employment options with a sad smile. Jesse Bedayn, Fortune, 22 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sad

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English sæd sated; akin to Old High German sat sated, Latin satis enough

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sad was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sad. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

sad

adjective
sadder; saddest
1
: filled with or expressing grief or unhappiness
sad songs
2
: causing grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
sadly adverb

Medical Definition

SAD

abbreviation
seasonal affective disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on sad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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