sad

adjective

ˈsad How to pronounce sad (audio)
Definition of sadnext
1
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness movies in which the hero dies always make us feel sad

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressing
causing unhappiness the sad news about our uncle's death made my father cry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pathetic
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy) no one expected the supermodel to be a great actress, but her acting is sad beyond belief

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sad The pair closed out the show with Summit adding his own touches to the sad perreo, making some fans think an official remix is on the way. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2026 Related Stories Black Doves Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always charming. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026 The company’s intention is probably to leverage nostalgia to build hype for Nintendo’s big launch, but there’s also something a little sad about this. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026 When Jake Shears became the third actor to portray Frank-N-Furter in the current Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show at Studio 54, his debut took on a sad, sweet resonance, happening just weeks after Curry’s death at age 80. — Joe Lynch, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sad
  1. unhappy
  2. depressing
  3. pathetic
  4. heartbroken
  5. heartbreaking
  6. pitiful
  7. depressed
  8. unfortunate
Adjective
  • The electorate is frustrated and unhappy Voters were sour heading into Tuesday, with the midterm electorate deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and pessimistic about the future, according to The AP Voter Poll.
    — Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Voting is the only way out for anyone who’s unhappy with a government headed toward authoritarianism.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • The Ruhr Valley, in contrast, might be Europe’s vastest, most depressing suburb.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The Mongolian restaurant is in the city center, dingy and depressing.
    — Aube Rey Lescure, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • In fact, the only previous cinematic encounter was the unfortunate 2003 live-action version with Mike Myers that flopped critically and at the box office, winning a pathetic 10 Razzie nominations as one of the worst pictures of that year.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Simply pathetic, but, MY LIONS stay close in the NFC North race and sets up what should be one of the biggest Thanksgiving Day games in Lions history when the Bears come to town on November 26.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • The heartbroken dad wasn’t home when the child fell out the window.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The death of Sir Patrick Stewart has left Hollywood heartbroken as his co-stars, colleagues, and fellow actors recall rare encounters, days on set, and priceless advice the acting legend shared with them.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • Another family friend, Robert Stanko, said the loss of such a young child has been heartbreaking.
    — Conor McGill, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The Huskers got off to a 5-0 start this season for the first time since 2016, then suffered three straight heartbreaking losses by a total of 13 points.
    — Steve Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of heartbreaking
Adjective
  • Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Yet Scudder, a progressive thirty-six-year-old real-estate analyst raised by lesbians on a purple-hull-pea farm in East Texas, assumed the post in 2025, and has been in a rush to reverse his party’s pitiful showings.
    — Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of pitiful
Adjective
  • Defense attorney Kimberly Stevens painted Birchmore as a depressed young woman battling lifelong adversities who constructed a fantasy world around marrying Farwell.
    — Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In Splintered Harmony, Azriel is depressed as hell — is there not a doctor in Velaris to get this guy a Zoloft prescription?
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Before that, the Broncos were a major beneficiary of an unfortunate series of events in the third quarter.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • As the state no longer holds a monopoly on the tools—nor the data—used to keep us safe, an opaque gap between the private and public sectors has opened where unfortunate, and even tragic, events can transpire.
    — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unfortunate

Browse Nearby Words

sacrosanct
sad
sadden
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Cite this Entry

“Sad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sad. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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