sadly

adverb

ˈsad-lē How to pronounce sadly (audio)
Definition of sadlynext
as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief sadly she told us how her dog died

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sadly My only disappointment is the sadly inadequate licorice department. — Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026 The worst, sadly, is my all-time favorite Housewife, Sonja Tremont Morgan of the Palm Beach Piggly Wiggly Morgans. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 Political and legal debates date back to ancient Rome and have been a key part of our nation, beginning with Lincoln-Douglas, yet experts say, sadly, are no longer perceived as necessary. — Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 There is of course another way to hear ABBA songs sung live onstage, though sadly without Greek island backdrops or background singers wearing floppy swim fins. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sadly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadly
  1. bitterly
  2. sorrowfully
  3. painfully
  4. regretfully
  5. mournfully
  6. hard
Adverb
  • The race is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country's history.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The race was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
    — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterly
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
Definition of sorrowfully
Adverb
  • The dinosaurs’ digestive systems are incapable of breaking down vegetable matter into anything other than a painfully gassy bloat.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Asia was flat to down today as the price of oil remained painfully high—above $114 per barrel.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of painfully
Adverb
  • Their reports explained regretfully that the confrontation had prevented two officers from receiving awards for shooting burglars.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Issa bitterly but regretfully prepares for the inevitable showdown.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of regretfully
Adverb
  • Fra Fee, as Joe, has a slightly harder task, since his role is almost entirely reactive; while Ethan bangs on mournfully about, effectively, the dangers of shagging your brother’s wife — well, who would have thought?
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Mayfield watched mournfully in his kitchen while the rest of the family sat in the living room with the big screen next to a Christmas tree.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Definition of mournfully
Adverb
  • That level of detail is what makes a modern invite harder to fake and gives guests the confidence to say 'yes' without second-guessing.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Randle offered a more useful explanation than simply demanding that everyone play harder.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

sadistic
sadly
sadness
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Cite this Entry

“Sadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadly. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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