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
  • There was a moment this week when tears of sadness gave way to elation for one California couple.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The local journalists who cover the Bend community every day were not immune from the grief and sadness after today’s deadly shooting of children at an elementary school.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said on her personal Facebook page that the incident left her filled with sorrow.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Like many songwriters who’ve ever poured their romantic sorrows out in their music, the challenge in this new era was getting acquainted with writing from a place of happiness instead, which can be a source of anxiety itself.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • Officials say preliminary evidence indicates that all three substances are potent and could result in dependence and respiratory depression.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • When that bubble burst in the Panic of 1893, a third of railroads went bust, more than 500 banks failed, and the economy plunged into a four-year depression.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • Yet even in the aftermath of her terrible grief, Josie’s mother, Chrissie, doubles down and chooses to put Josie through the operation as well.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Some may also do what grief counselors call continuing bonds.
    — Naomi Barr, Flow Space, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of grief
Noun
  • The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Set to a downtempo bachata, the track features Lorén’s penetrating vocals filled with anguish at the impossible cycle of working endlessly to make ends meet.
    — Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2026.

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