dolesome

adjective

ˈdōl-səm How to pronounce dolesome (audio)
Definition of dolesomenext
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning the dolesome sound of a lone harmonica arising from the darkened encampment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolesome
  1. weeping
  2. mournful
  3. funeral
  4. heartbroken
  5. bitter
  6. wailing
  7. sad
  8. sorry
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • Since his siblings were crying with the same mournful expression, clinging to their father’s corpse, Shoichiro willed himself to cry too, and the tears came immediately.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s something mournful, something searching about his statement, too.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • There is a funeral procession in the morning and a wedding in the afternoon.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • At his San Francisco tour opener and other stops, Burke went all in on a funeral theme.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • The beloved bald eagle and her partner, Shadow, had fans across the world captivated through Friends of Big Bear Valley's live-stream nest camera, and Jackie's death has left thousands heartbroken.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Lyman Dawkins, mayor of Gaffney, said he was heartbroken over news of the shooting.
    — Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • Moscow hopes to sap Ukraine’s will to fight by denying civilians light, heating and running water during the bitter winter months.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • If his mayoral administration continues to elevate emotions over facts, New York is in for a bitter four years.
    — Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bitter
Adjective
  • Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of wailing
Adjective
  • Washington Post cartoonist Clifford Berryman quickly produced a cartoon showing Roosevelt refusing to shoot a tiny bear cub with big sad eyes and a rope around its neck.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These sad conventions; these American ways of being, pacing to the end of a block and back like hamsters.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • There has also always been a place for vice in fragrance (sorry to point out that classic diet cola and cigarettes, while very Gabbriette right now, are not actually good for you).
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Evidence of silence quietly (sorry) breaking apart one’s bearings bleeds through both the main plot thread and satellite storylines, which include recurring visits to a client of Ninh’s and that man’s own conflicts with his distant wife.
    — Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorry
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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doles
dolesome
doles out
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Cite this Entry

“Dolesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolesome. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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