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What was top-of-the-line when the house was built was by now sadly outdated.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

It’s located right in the center of Federal Hill, the city’s Italian district, where my dad’s favorite restaurant, Joe Marzilli’s Old Canteen, has sadly closed, but other great options—try Cassarino’s for classic red sauce dining—abound. —Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Feb. 2026

In a photo released to the public, the white truck had a (sadly obscured) California license plate, an equipment rack mounted in the bed, as well as a black Fox Racing tailgate cover. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 Feb. 2026

Victoria won three Grammys at the 2024 awards ceremony — Best New Artist, Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical — but sadly, the category Hazel was in didn't earn the mother-daughter duo a golden gramophone. —Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026

The urge to brand those of opposing views as evil and out to destroy the country are too great to resist, sadly. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sadly

• badly
• gladly
• madly
• comradely