DOLEFULNESS Synonyms: 121 Similar and Opposite Words

dolefulness

noun

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

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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolefulness

Noun

Each new body part is tinged with a bit of pleasure, pushing up against the edges of my sadness and embracing it chummily.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, telling the story of these Texan wildmen and their real-life moments of brilliance and hilarity, with revelations of profound sadness.

— Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

As the genre’s name suggests, country music tends to be preoccupied with place; the charts are full of tributes to the satisfaction of being firmly rooted in a small town, and the sorrows of leaving it behind.

— Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Bet your bottom dollar that Son Heung-min, LAFC’s $26-million man — the record MLS fee for an incoming player — would peel himself off the mat and clear away the cobwebs and the sorrow of the past few weeks and months.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026

Definition of sorrow

Noun

Its blockbuster antidepressant Prozac transformed the treatment of depression and fueled Lilly's last major sales boom before the GLP-1 explosion.

— Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Research shows that these students are more likely to have poorer physical health, higher rates of depression and lower GPAs than their peers.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of depression

Noun

The ensemble drama traces the unpredictable shape of grief and family dynamics, aiming for an emotionally candid portrait of loss and the ties that hold communities together.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
Buddhist texts often present meditation as a way of confronting uncertainty, grief, mortality and impermanence.

— Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

Definition of grief

Noun

Yet, outside the excellently claustrophobic Trojan Horse scenes, Nolan is more interested in exploring his anguish than his spoils.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Your mind fills with all the defeats; all the anguish of mistakes made and opportunities missed.

— Kristine Fischer, Outdoor Life, 16 July 2026

Definition of anguish

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dolefully

dolefulness

dole out

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“Dolefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefulness. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dolefulness

noun

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