1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
a doleful expression on their faces as they said good-bye to the friends they had made over the summer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the visibly doleful players, heartbroken about their loss
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doleful
Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.
—
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
Self-contained in a suit and clad by ironic distance, the unnamed sort calls to mind all the doleful observers that have traipsed across the screen since il cinema went modern, highlighting a weakness of a film that could benefit from a touch more idiosyncrasy.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024
These scenes are very often fun, filthy, hot, and, frankly, a relief after so much doleful, droopy coupling.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Where the Sea Change version sounds doleful, the new orchestration sounded almost hopeful with strings that glide over the chords and a perky piccolo poking through the musical ceiling.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
Self-contained in a suit and clad by ironic distance, the unnamed sort calls to mind all the doleful observers that have traipsed across the screen since il cinema went modern, highlighting a weakness of a film that could benefit from a touch more idiosyncrasy.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024
These scenes are very often fun, filthy, hot, and, frankly, a relief after so much doleful, droopy coupling.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Where the Sea Change version sounds doleful, the new orchestration sounded almost hopeful with strings that glide over the chords and a perky piccolo poking through the musical ceiling.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doleful
Adjective
-
The band played somber hymns marking Good Friday, a mournful day during Holy Week.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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At the vigil, the atmosphere appeared to be both mournful and celebratory of Scooter’s life.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Her story is beautiful and sad, heartwarming and devastating.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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If my random and unscientific survey of some French opinion at all represents the nation’s as a whole, then the debut of Donald Trump’s America has left some French triste — a bit sad, even brokenhearted, and also wary and vigilant.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Kraft had strong leads among some voting groups polled, the poll showed, including Republicans, voters who disapprove of Boston’s sanctuary city status, those unhappy with Boston’s quality of life, and those prioritizing government spending/taxes.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2025
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Sonya can be competitive about who is more unhappy.—
Jason Zinoman,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The obituary adds that a visitation service is set for Tuesday, April 29, and a funeral mass is set for Wednesday, April 30.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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He was laid to rest on Saturday at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in a simple tomb as requested by the late pontiff, following a funeral Mass on the steps of the St. Peter’s Basilica that drew heads of state, royalty and hundreds of thousands of mourners.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Investors are keenly watching these metrics as European banks transition to an environment of monetary easing, particularly in Switzerland, which has been combating a strong franc and depressed inflation with interest rates as low as 0.25%.—
Ruxandra Iordache,
CNBC,
30 Apr. 2025
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Dracula’s Daughter is about a lady vampire who seduces and feeds off other ladies and who is depressed and desperate to be cured of her unyielding desire for wom— sorry.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The recent tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River, which claimed six lives, has left our city heartbroken and once again grappling with difficult questions about public safety and aviation policy.—
Keith Powers,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
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The heartbroken couple spent days looking for Valerie but eventually had to return to their lives in Broken Hill, New South Wales.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Their defensive game plan was clearly to make Kucherov’s life miserable, and the defending champions succeeded mightily.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Wall Street racked up yet one more miserable day in a month of miserable days on April 21, once again seeing a sizable selloff in both the stock market and the bond market, as the Standard & Poor's 500 fell 2.36% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.48%.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Doleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doleful. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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