DOLEFUL Synonyms: 202 Similar and Opposite Words

doleful

adjective

ˈdōl-fəl

Definition of doleful

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sad

feeling unhappiness the visibly doleful players, heartbroken about their loss

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of doleful Black Hills bucket-listing aside, time here is best spent tubing and fishing on the river, luxuriating in the infrared sauna, or listening to a doleful coyote song under a blanket of stars. — Ashlea Halpern, Time, 12 Mar. 2026 With their large hands and expressive, doleful faces, the great apes are often depicted as the poster children for experimentation. — Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 His doleful father, portrayed by Paul Dooley in a magically right match of performer and material, despairs for his blithely romantic son’s future. — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 Her Night Moves may have been a thriller, though its focus was less the act of environmental sabotage that its characters carried out than its doleful aftermath. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for doleful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for doleful

Adjective

The years have only intensified Zimmerman’s mournful, hushed vocal performance, and Dream Me a Dream often plays out like a bedtime story spun by a beloved elder, accompanied by soft strings, shakers, and even a synth or two.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 19 June 2026
The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.

— Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 June 2026

Definition of mournful

Adjective

Nostalgic, proud and, yeah, a little sad too, that the decade-long journey of making Stranger Things has come to an end.

— Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
In the comments, fans expressed conflicted feelings about the ride’s closure, with some excited for the new version and others sad to hear the original Kumba ride will soon be no more.

— Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

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
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.

— Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021

Definition of weeping

Adjective

Brigitte Bardot, a very unhappy wife, is the Penelope stand-in.

— Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 14 July 2026
Given the players’ high-profile status, there is a giant spotlight on the process, with plenty of unhappy fans questioning why the SEC determined both moves were made for athletic purposes.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

When his funeral conflicts with Lonnie’s tee time, The Hawk texts in his eulogy between holes.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Details about the funeral arrangements for Nolan Wells, the teen who was found dead on July 6 after visiting Horn Island, Mississippi, have been released.

— Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026

Definition of funeral

Adjective

The numbers are consistent with the depressed transit levels recorded over recent days since negotiations fell apart.

— Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Like other OEMs, Samsung has boosted prices on its mid-range and budget offerings, which has depressed sales.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026

Definition of depressed

Adjective

The feud shows no signs of ending, and Kate Middleton is reportedly heartbroken over it.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 18 July 2026
In 2017, administrators at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh were heartbroken to learn that hundreds of rare books, art prints and maps worth more than $8 million had been purloined from its rare books room.

— Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Adjective

The story of Superman’s young cousin never achieved liftoff, brought down by miserable reviews and a lack of familiarity with Krypton’s far less famous refugee.

— Brent Lang, Variety, 16 July 2026
Spurs evolved from a side who did not press well and could not progress the ball through the middle of the pitch through Frank’s miserable period and Tudor’s hapless interlude, to a side who tried to do exactly those things.

— Elias Burke, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of miserable

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doled out

doleful

dolefully

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“Doleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doleful. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of doleful

adjective

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