DOLEFULLY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

dolefully

adverb

as in bitterly

with feelings of bitterness or grief the novelist dolefully remarked that the proceeds from his last book would scarcely buy a dollhouse, let alone a real house

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Recent Examples of dolefully There’s ample gore and jumpy moments, but the true scariness here is of the forlorn kind; leads Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen play the mounting nightmare with ache and desperation, elevating the emotional tenor of a dolefully eerie movie. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolefully

Adverb

Nothing comes of it, of course, until months later, when Corinne sees the news that Kiberlain is taking to the Paris stage in a production of the very same play, and bitterly confronts her outside the theater.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Perhaps the actor-director is trying to borrow a page from his bitterly funny David Fincher hit, Gone Girl (another kidnapping thriller, sort of), but Animals has none of that earlier picture’s wit or Grand Guignol extremes or gonzo structure.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of bitterly

Adverb

Give me Miller Park (American Family Field nowadays, sadly) in the World Series all day long.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Sure, there will likely be, sadly but understandably, no new Gaga album or tour in the immediate future—but that doesn’t mean her personal style is going anywhere.

— Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of sadly

Adverb

Fra Fee, as Joe, has a slightly harder task, since his role is almost entirely reactive; while Ethan bangs on mournfully about, effectively, the dangers of shagging your brother’s wife — well, who would have thought?

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
Mayfield watched mournfully in his kitchen while the rest of the family sat in the living room with the big screen next to a Christmas tree.

— John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Definition of mournfully

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“Dolefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefully. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dolefully

adverb

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