Definition of alas
—used to express unhappiness, pity, or concern
- Life, alas, is too short.
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Examples of alas in a Sentence
Juliet's pitiful lament, “alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead!”.
Recent Examples of alas from the Web
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Alas, as of this writing, no announcement has come forth indicating which, if any, Jazz Festival headliners will play additional engagements in Chicago-area venues, apart from the After Fest sessions that always have sprouted during the festival.
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Alas, the Mid-Atlantic missed out on the biggest piece of the Powerball jackpot when a $758.7 million ticket was sold in Massachusetts — the largest single-ticket payout in U.S. history.
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Alas, the plaque — which had been welded to the table — was subsequently stolen.
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Alas, many also believe that monkeys infect people, which isn't true.
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Alas, Neymar remains with Barca — at least for the time being — and he is expected to play against Real Madrid on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in El Clasico Miami.
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Alas, the game between India and Pakistan has often turned serious.
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Alas, Donald Trump is far too intellectually limited and lazy to dictate policy to his party — and far too corrupt to risk attracting Paul Ryan’s ire.
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But alas, the city known for where the surf meets the turf has been missing one major San Diego staple: a local craft brewery.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alas.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of alas
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from a ah + las weary, from Latin lassus — more at lassitude
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First Known Use: 13th century
in the meaning defined above
See Words from the same yearALAS Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of alas for English Language Learners
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—used to express sadness, sorrow, disappointment, etc.
ALAS Defined for Kids
interjection
\
ə-ˈlas
\
Definition of alas for Students
—used to express unhappiness, pity, disappointment or worry
- Alas, it was too late!
Learn More about alas
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See words that rhyme with alas Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for alas Spanish Central: Translation of alas Nglish: Translation of alas for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of alas for Arabic speakers
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