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dolefulness

noun

1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits with the resigned dolefulness of an athlete who knows his playing days are over, he cleared out his locker for the last time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorrow
deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved a period of dolefulness that seemed to last forever for the widower

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolefulness
  1. sadness
  2. sorrow
  3. depression
  4. grief
  5. melancholy
  6. anguish
  7. mournfulness
Noun
  • Postpartum depression can be anxiousness or sadness, tearfulness, difficulty sleeping.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The sadness comes from reflecting on how those founders used their newly independent government and military might against Indigenous people.
    — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in separate statements and expressed sorrow over the deaths.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In direct contradiction to Herzog, Zamir’s office stated that Azaria had never expressed sorrow or remorse about the killing.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • The work is meant to address the 3- to 6-inch-deep depression on Pocket Road, city spokesperson Carlos Eliason said.
    — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Perpetrators target underage girls, typically between the ages of 10 and 17 years old, often preying on minors already struggling with mental health issues such as depression and suicidal ideation, according to the FBI.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • Duarte’s writing features detailed prose and a moving storyline, encompassing grief, healing, and the losses borne by a Latinx family in the name of American patriotism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • State prosecutors told the court that although the attorney general understands the defendant's grief, the case must proceed as a matter of public interest.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of grief
Noun
  • On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • The organization said the discoveries had deepened the anguish of families searching for loved ones.
    — Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Their mental anguish, out-of-pocket expenses, the time caregivers devote to their work, the wages lost from forgone work — all create spectacular costs for America’s families.
    — Jason Karlawish, STAT, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness
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.

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dolefully
dolefulness
dole out
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Cite this Entry

“Dolefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefulness. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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