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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Noun
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Across countries, sadness, anger, loneliness and despair are at the highest levels recorded in decades.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026 -
The mood in the crowd was widespread anger and sadness — recalling the same outpouring of wrath and grief that shook the city after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in 2020, although without the widespread violent protests then.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The lust for vengeance eventually gets the better of him, but Swenson leads us step by step to depravity through sorrow, injustice and humiliation.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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For Proust—who may have met Wilde and even been the subject of the older man’s amorous attention (though accounts of their meeting or meetings could be apocryphal)—his downfall showed that life featured far keener sorrows than those encountered in books.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Make shallow depressions for your rhizomes and cover so new green growth sits just above the soil surface.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
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Don’t sink into depression, this is temporary!—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Identity protection does not end when life does, and scammers know that grief creates gaps.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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The second half of the film, where Robert tries to find purpose in the hazy aftermath of grief, had the potential to feel more amorphous.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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White’s dialogue is unsentimental but rife with anguish; Owen Teague and a seductive, destructive Abbey Lee give the pain its due.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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His murder was met with fury and anguish.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But Wednesday’s report about the parking fees quickly backfiring should turn this melancholy into fury.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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At some point this winter — maybe a few days, maybe a few weeks — melancholy will fade and Hurricanes fans will be able to appreciate all that was accomplished during a season when UM got back its good name and returned to prominence.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dolefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefulness. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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