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
  • Eleazar forgoes Thom Yorke-style belting, draws out the mournful quaver in the lyrics, and subtly reshapes the anthem in Misty’s image, her commitment to doing things her way.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But the production here betrays its economy, and the direction, by Garth Davis and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, remains earthbound, held down by mournful strings and devoid of color.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • The GoFundMe, which was started to cover funeral costs, counseling and other support for the family, has raised a little over $23,000.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • To Diana, who has taken over First Desk at the Park after last season’s events, River’s refusal to take bereavement leave gives her license to speak about his grandfather’s funeral arrangements with her usual cool formality.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire honored Macy at a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, telling community leaders that her death had left his office and the wider community heartbroken.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Daria’s heartbroken family declined to comment on her death Saturday.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • The second episode will examine her interventions on Scottish independence, feminism, free speech, and gender identity, which place her at the heart of increasingly bitter online exchanges.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The incident inspired multiple memorial meme coins, forensic scrutiny of video footage, and bitter anti-Waymo sentiment.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 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
  • Spark, a writer of the first rank, brought her beautifully to life in this moving, rather sad novel of Edinburgh in the 1930s.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And yet the allegation against her now enters Orange County’s long, sad spectrum of anti-Mexican political history.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • That’s all before setting aside the time to manage a fantasy football roster, oversee a gambling hobby, or make sure you’re fully briefed for the next all-hands—sorry, hangout—at the bar.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Skin care picks to pamper your complexion Swapping out your skin care for thicker, richer formulas in fall and winter is a prime example (sorry, had to do it) of working smarter, not harder.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Oct. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

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 13 Oct. 2026.

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