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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And then, to forever live on earth, in a place with conflict and pain and sorrow, that’s not her goal.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2025 -
In churches like this, where belief is expressed in multiple languages, the loss of a pope is a death in the family, and the sorrow, like the faith, runs deep.—
Janet Shamlian,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This number will go up, more children will struggle—depression, hunger and more parts of their lives will spiral out of control.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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Families who lose a loved one are prone to mental health deficits such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety, compounded by feelings of guilt, self-blame, shame, and condemnation, often resulting in social isolation.—
William Mullane,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Although some in the media distort the anger directed at Rowling from trans activists, trans people, and allies, the truth is those feelings — not just anger, but betrayal and grief — are justified.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
18 Apr. 2025
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The film tells the story of a tech entrepreneur (Vincent Cassel) grappling with memory and grief.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But Season 2, by leaning so far into its characters’ anguish, has become more circular and suffocating in its storytelling.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
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Coogler attempts to out-scare Jordan Peele’s Get Out, using horror tropes to match the anguish expressed by the blues.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Chu's main input was slowing down the song's pacing overall, leaning into the melancholy of the moment.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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Gyuri Kim, with her feeling for melancholy and uncertainty, turned out to be a wonderful counterpart.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
21 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dolefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolefulness. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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