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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doleful
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
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
The song begins with Iommi’s signature doleful blues soloing before kicking into a doomy groove.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2024
In any case, that doleful Something had stirred the group chat up from its latency.
—Literary Hub, 15 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
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
The song begins with Iommi’s signature doleful blues soloing before kicking into a doomy groove.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2024
In any case, that doleful Something had stirred the group chat up from its latency.
—Literary Hub, 15 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doleful
Adjective
-
Then, in the Andante movement, the upper strings opened with a glassy sound before the mournful line of the cello entered.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Over the years, humpback whale songs have been recorded for human listening, with many describing the songs as having a haunting, mournful quality.—
Patrick Whittle,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There were enough people in the room who were sad about the kid.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
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And that’s really sad, because the latest gen is a genuinely fantastic car.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
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
Adjective
-
Auriemma was apparently unhappy with the officiating in the game and the disparity in free throw shooting.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the changes, some in the Senate were still unhappy with the final iteration.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In a news release shared by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, investigators said that they were made aware of several theft victims who had things stolen from their cars while attending funeral services at the cemetery, which is located in the 22000 block of Van Buren Boulevard.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Cyrene then instructs her son to appease the nymphs, Eurydice’s companions, and to make funeral offerings to Eurydice’s husband Orpheus.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Jesse O’Hara, said his clients were distraught and heartbroken over the treatment of their baby.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
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Fayez Dakkak, a third-generation Muslim storeowner in the Old City whose shop has catered to Christian pilgrims since 1942, said he was heartbroken over Al Aqsa's closure during the Islamic holy month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Wagler led the Illini with 20 points, but Illinois shot a miserable 34% (19 of 56) from the field and 23% (6 of 26) from 3-point range.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Porter Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal in the NHL to put the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doleful. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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