as in sad
causing unhappiness
the saddening discovery that something is threatening the birds in the area
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in depressing
to make sad
the arrival of winter always saddens me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of saddening
Bob Brody, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
The backlash from certain parts of the media has been extremely saddening, particularly given how hard John works to raise awareness and understanding.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Robert Lloyd, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The iconic Hollywood Studios archway has been demolished at Walt Disney World, saddening fans.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
That would be a saddening surrender to might makes right.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2025
One of the more saddening aspects of Animol (a misspelled word seen carved into a cell wall in solitary) is the change in Troy’s gaze — from alert and observant to constantly on edge, his eyes almost involuntarily darting in every direction at once to spot a threat.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The result is a bonus both surprising and saddening.
—Bob Brody, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
The backlash from certain parts of the media has been extremely saddening, particularly given how hard John works to raise awareness and understanding.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Robert Lloyd, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The iconic Hollywood Studios archway has been demolished at Walt Disney World, saddening fans.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
That would be a saddening surrender to might makes right.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2025
One of the more saddening aspects of Animol (a misspelled word seen carved into a cell wall in solitary) is the change in Troy’s gaze — from alert and observant to constantly on edge, his eyes almost involuntarily darting in every direction at once to spot a threat.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
The news was saddening for Jewell — but also alarming for the defense.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saddening
Adjective
-
The other six ascended to the highest office in the land as a result of the dysfunction that has made Peru a punch line in political-science circles, a sad story of ungovernability played on a loop.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
There’s a one-note quality to the film’s comedy that grows steadily, even deliberately, more abrasive over two hours, but the sad, brash, gradually shrinking bigness of the personalities at its center holds your attention.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
In 1993, a storm with baseball-size hail wiped out the local wheat harvest, depressing incomes and leaving the town too poor to remove damaged buildings.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
-
Each is separately spring-loaded, depressing four millimeters at most (though they can be actuated with as little as two millimeters of travel) before bouncing back with a confirming click.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sports make people a little pathetic.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Williams didn't portray Peter Banning as pathetic.—
Cynthia Pelayo,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
This question of what happened to fishes immediately after the age of the dinosaurs kept troubling me.—
Sanaa El-Sayed,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
So what is troubling the Mariners?—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s no question that this unfortunate cocktail of corruption, inefficiency, and simple incompetence is holding the country back.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
Unfortunately, going cold turkey off a central nervous system depressant like GHB has some pretty unfortunate side-effects.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Before worrying about advanced technology, look at your foundation.—
Boris Dzhingarov,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Lindsay is very real for worrying about her pit stains.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saddening. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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