sadness

noun

Definition of sadnessnext
as in melancholy
a state or spell of low spirits she was filled with sadness at the thought of having to leave her family

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 sadness Nonetheless, Simón stirs up the ineffable sadness that comes with wanting answers to the mysteries of your family — and then, like it or not, receiving them. — Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 There’s a frank sadness to nearly every scene, but also a tenderness and warmth between these two unlikely friends. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 Psychologists find that those who accept feelings like anger, sadness, or anxiety with curiosity and nonjudgment, rather than suppressing them, experience better psychological health over time. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Working again with collaborators Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog) and joined by Nick Hakim and drummer Tom Skinner (the Smile), Orton uses The Ground Above to create weighty songs that deal with both joy and sadness. — David Harris, SPIN, 29 June 2026 That was my only coping mechanism for that level of fear and sadness was drugs. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 29 June 2026 In the book, Johnson acknowledges disappointment and sadness, not seeing his Penney’s strategy play out. — David Moin, Footwear News, 26 June 2026 Customers congratulated the couple on their retirement, but also expressed sadness and memories of The Coach Stop. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2026 Now our tears flow in sadness, but also with gratitude for all the beautiful memories of our sweet, kind, hilarious, cherished Bob. — Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadness
  1. melancholy
  2. depression
  3. sorrow
  4. grief
  5. mournfulness
  6. anguish
  7. gloom
  8. unhappiness
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • That occurs along a very typical-looking site that has a roughly 2,000 meter depression at the location of spreading, flanked by a series of rugged ridges.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
  • In 2019, the agency approved Johnson & Johnson’s Spravato, an esketamine nasal spray, for treatment-resistant depression in adults (it was later OK’d as a standalone depression treatment).
    — Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 8 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the crash and offered condolences to the victims' families.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • Croatia’s World Cup exit was not without a fight, with a last-minute, stoppage time goal that likely had fans screaming at the TV in jubilation, and then in sorrow.
    — Alex Connor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • The centerless nature of Kiely’s grief unsettled him for a time.
    — Laura Snapes, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026
  • Demanding a transparent investigation Salgado Araujo’s death has brought an outpouring of grief and calls for transparency, with activists and Texas Democratic lawmakers demanding all evidence from the scene be reviewed.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of grief
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness
Noun
  • Andrade said the absence of an official passenger manifest deepened the anguish of dozens of families awaiting the arrival of Flight 164.
    — Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
  • The series depicts the anguish of an interrupted boyhood and the awakening of a child’s conscience as their safest spaces erode.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • The broader mood tracks right alongside, with 40% expecting AI to be bad for society over the next twenty years against 16% who expect good, the gloom running deepest among adults under 30, and 63% saying the whole thing is moving too fast.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • The partying turned to gloom after the temblors.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of gloom
Noun
  • There’s a lot of unhappiness everywhere, but … [traditionally,] America is supposed to be a happy country, and everyone wants to go there.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2026
  • His remaining support is soft, while the unhappiness with him is intense.
    — Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
Definition of unhappiness

Browse Nearby Words

sadly
sadness
safari
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Cite this Entry

“Sadness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadness. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sadness

Nglish: Translation of sadness for Spanish Speakers

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