as in boo
used to express sorrow or distress
Juliet's pitiful lament, "alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead!"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of alas
But alas, all this transaction cost the Hornets is Jusuf Nurkic, who, at this point in his career, is considered little more than salary filler to most teams.
—
Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Golden State, alas, may not be the right fit for him anymore, as the Warriors have other priorities with sub-apron money and a developing alternative in Quinten Post (below).
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Vertical malls may, alas, be a thing of the past, but 500,000 square feet is a formidable chunk of real estate in what once was one of the most exciting and aspirational blocks in the Midwest.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025
This would've been a perfect opportunity to stargaze during the serene set, alas the stars were snuffed out by the muddy blanket of light pollution.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alas
Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Golden State, alas, may not be the right fit for him anymore, as the Warriors have other priorities with sub-apron money and a developing alternative in Quinten Post (below).
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Vertical malls may, alas, be a thing of the past, but 500,000 square feet is a formidable chunk of real estate in what once was one of the most exciting and aspirational blocks in the Midwest.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025
This would've been a perfect opportunity to stargaze during the serene set, alas the stars were snuffed out by the muddy blanket of light pollution.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alas
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alas
Interjection
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Williams also recalled witnessing the Super Bowl crowd boo Taylor Swift when she was shown on the jumbotron cheering on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Highlights include a costume parade (for kids and parents), a Purim story and boo Haman and songs.—
Linda McIntosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2024
Interjection
-
In the north of the British Isles, people sometimes combined ye, a second person plural pronoun for you, along with aw, meaning all.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
16 July 2025
-
Studies of fathers have generated some alarmist headlines over the years, and Hrdy has kindly collated them: no dad joke: fatherhood shrinks the brain; aw, nuts!—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
30 Mar. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Alas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alas. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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