woe

1 of 2

interjection

ˈwō 

—used to express grief, regret, or distress

woe

2 of 2

noun

plural woes

1

: a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief

2

: ruinous trouble : calamity, affliction

economic woes

Synonyms

Interjection

• alack
• alas
• ay
• wirra [Irish]

Noun

• affliction
• agony
• anguish
• distress
• excruciation
• hurt
• misery
• pain
• rack
• strait(s)
• torment
• torture
• travail
• tribulation

Choose the Right Synonym for woe

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of woe in a Sentence

Interjection

ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world!

Noun

The city's traffic woes are well-known.

a tale of misery and woe

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Amongst many other travel woes, this massive inconvenience has prompted the ongoing rise of personal tracking device purchases. —Jacqueline Laurean Yates, ABC News, 19 July 2024

But local freeway critics are skeptical, arguing that adding more lanes just adds to our congestion and environmental woes. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2024

The 35-year-old star had been out to exorcise the demons of his latest heartbreaking major near-miss at the US Open last month but found only more woe at Royal Troon, finishing 11-over par overall to fall well short of the top-70 players and ties that progressed to the weekend. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 19 July 2024

Much like Trump, who regularly criticized prosecutors and judges during his series of legal woes, Navarro accused the federal justice system of corruption, without evidence. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 18 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English wa, wo, from Old English wā; akin to Old Norse vei, interjection, woe, Latin vae

First Known Use

Interjection

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

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

Phrases Containing woe

• tale of woe
• woe is me
• woe to/betide

Kids Definition

woe

noun

ˈwō

1

: great suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble

2

: trouble entry 2 sense 1b

economic woes