as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
sadly she told us how her dog died
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 sadly
The immediate reality is that unfortunately and sadly, but unfortunately the vast majority of the opposition is no longer present inside of Venezuela.
—
NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
Illinois is worse, and, sadly, New York is worse, a lot of other places.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
For those of us who celebrate Kwanzaa, that typically means the kinara and sadly the seven principles of the holiday are also stored away and rarely discussed for the next 11 months.
—Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
Though it was sadly snubbed at the Academy Awards, Genevieve Nnaji’s Lionheart is still a breathtaking directorial debut.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadly
NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026
Illinois is worse, and, sadly, New York is worse, a lot of other places.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 Jan. 2026
For those of us who celebrate Kwanzaa, that typically means the kinara and sadly the seven principles of the holiday are also stored away and rarely discussed for the next 11 months.
—Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
Though it was sadly snubbed at the Academy Awards, Genevieve Nnaji’s Lionheart is still a breathtaking directorial debut.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadly
Adverb
-
The union had bitterly opposed Newsom in his race.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
-
On these bitterly cold winter days, nothing sounds better than defrosting in a sauna.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Ludo Lefebvre echoed the urgency, pointing to the painfully deliberate pace of the recovery.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
One of those situations was painfully basic.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
The polite way to decline an invite to a wedding is to wish them well, thank them for inviting you and regretfully decline.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
For the role of Desmond, Wilder turned to Swanson, who in real life had also once existed among Hollywood’s loftiest ranks at the height of her career during the Silent Era of the 1920s and '30s, but had gradually — but not regretfully — followed other directions when her stardom waned.—
Scott Huver,
People.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
Some teens worry that relying on AI for emotional support could make real conversations harder.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
-
And some may not get on the ballot — each candidate must gather 500 legitimate voter signatures by March 4, which is relatively easy in citywide races but harder in council districts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadly. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
