sorely

adverb

sore·​ly ˈsȯr-lē 

1

: in a sore manner : painfully

2

: very, extremely

sorely needed changes

Synonyms

• agonizingly
• bitterly
• dolefully
• dolorously
• grievously
• hard
• hardly
• inconsolably
• lugubriously
• mournfully
• painfully
• plaintively
• regretfully
• resentfully
• ruefully
• sadly
• sorrowfully
• unhappily
• wailfully
• woefully
• wretchedly

Examples of sorely in a Sentence

You will be sorely missed.

She provided some sorely needed help.

The house is sorely in need of paint.

He is sorely lacking in social skills.

Recent Examples on the Web

While civility is sorely lacking in politics, two other areas are known for rudeness as well — the workplace and the schools, at all levels. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2025

The new generation recently picked up a feature that the California has sorely lacked since day 1: a toilet room, which comes in the back of one of two long-wheelbase floor plans. —New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2025

City officials, who sorely want more affordable housing UC Berkeley students and others, insist their new program will not allow unsafe housing. —Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025

Jack Moorhouse, a 19-year-old midfielder, has demonstrated an ability to pick up the ball and carry it up the pitch at youth level — an attribute sorely lacking among the first-team squad. —Mark Critchley, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sorely

adverb

sore·​ly ˈsō(ə)r-lē 

ˈsȯ(ə)r-

: in a sore manner