sadly

adverb

sad·​ly ˈsad-lē 

1

: in a sad manner : in a way that shows sadness or unhappiness

They spoke sadly of their loss.

She shook her head sadly.

He walked away sadly.

2

: in a way that causes feelings of sadness, disappointment, or regret

a garden that has been sadly neglected for many years

What was top-of-the-line when the house was built was by now sadly outdated.

—Sue Grafton

The Greek populations of these great cities are now sadly diminished or gone altogether, leaving them much duller places.

—Robert Fox

3

: unfortunately

—used to say that something is sad, unfortunate, or regrettable

Sadly, you can upload a perfectly working website today and return a few months later to find that many of its external links have died off.

—Matthew MacDonald

Is there a way to get the virus out of an afflicted cat's system? "Sadly, no," says Dr. [James] Richards.

—Tom Ewing

Synonyms of sadly

• bitterly
• sorrowfully
• painfully
• mournfully
• regretfully
• hard

Examples of sadly in a Sentence

sadly she told us how her dog died

Recent Examples on the Web

Not as sour as the mushrooms in spring, sadly, and where did those go? — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 July 2026

The menu item was previously available in a variety of test markets, but was sadly removed from the menu back in 2023. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 22 July 2026

While dogs are sadly not allowed on many of the beaches as a measure to protect the natural habitats, they are allowed on overlooks and in picnic areas, not to mention at Timber Cove Resort in town. — Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 22 July 2026

This is some of the last unspoiled land on the continent, habitat for many, many endangered and endemic species, but sadly it’s being killed by Silicon Valley and Wall Street. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sadly

• badly
• gladly
• madly
• comradely