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
Relevance
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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Furthermore, fully remote employees are also more likely to report experiencing anger, sadness and loneliness than hybrid and on-site workers, Gallup said.—
Bob Helbig,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026 -
Carefully avoiding quick judgement and slowly uncovering a long history of violence, injustices and destruction, the young filmmaker exposes the deep sadness of a once upon a time joyful and prosperous environment.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yet the ballads are also strong, conveying palpable sorrow as the family members figure up their losses.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
19 Mar. 2026
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The murders magnified the terror and sorrow emanating from thousands of anti-Asian attacks arising in the months preceding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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My evident happiness was catching, and my mother, too, was lifted out of her depression.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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Katherine was a clinical social worker who specialized in adoption issues, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, grief and loss, suicidality, and relationship difficulties.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This balancing act -- holding both her grief and her drive to keep going -- fed her work as a grief counselor and end-of-life photographer for families.—
MAGGIE PENMAN THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
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But her unresolved case has cast a long shadow on their grief.—
Annalise Peterson,
NBC news,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Every repeat viewing of Abraham's performance reveals some new moment of humiliation — some fresh sickening glimmer of anguish that feels all too familiar.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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At the cemetery, drug-war widows unleashed on him the full force of their anger and anguish.—
Sheila Coronel,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some acknowledged the possibility that melancholy could be inherited.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
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What plucks at the heartstrings with its Herb Alpert studio melancholy sounds a little fried here, the song’s plaintive, tentative charm buried under thrashing improvisation.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dolefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefulness. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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