sorely

adverb

ˈsȯr-lē How to pronounce sorely (audio)
Definition of sorelynext
1
as in sadly
with feelings of bitterness or grief our company president, who is retiring at the end of the year, will be sorely missed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terribly
to a great degree completed some sorely needed repairs to the boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sorely You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 After years of economic decline and mismanagement, basic emergency response resources are sorely lacking. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2026 Anyone hoping to see intricate short passing has been sorely disappointed thus far. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026 This kind of agility is sorely lacking these days at the Metropolitan Opera. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sorely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorely
  1. sadly
  2. terribly
  3. bitterly
  4. extremely
  5. sorrowfully
  6. severely
  7. painfully
  8. desperately
Adverb
  • My summer dresses will sadly be retired in the coming weeks, but a denim midi skirt is the ideal swap on days when I can’t be bothered to wear jeans.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Culture matters, and too often sadly those who are being asked to pay the price of climate change are not those who were putting carbon into the atmosphere in the first place.
    — Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of sadly
Adverb
  • Having a conversation with Gold House founder Bing Chen isn’t terribly dissimilar from taking an amphetamine.
    — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Along with its terribly cool clientele, Area became known for its décor and lavish installations, whose theme changed every six weeks.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of terribly
Adverb
  • Congressional Republicans are headed into the home stretch ahead of a crucial midterm election year bitterly divided over their competing legislative priorities.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • There were riots, protests and a bitterly divisive war in Vietnam that looked intractable.
    — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
Definition of bitterly
Adverb
  • In extremely rare cases, hormone injections can trigger a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Neighbors are also extremely relieved to see the tree finally coming down.
    — Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of extremely
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
  • Silica particles cause lungs to fight back with fibrotic tissue that builds and builds, severely inhibiting the ability to breathe.
    — Howard Berkes, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This kind of telescope is ideal for solar work, being a good size aperture to reveal fine detail, but not so large as to be severely affected by daytime atmospheric turbulence.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Unfortunately, Winger committed the mortal sins of having a pretty boy lead singer and painfully cheesy videos (even by 80s standards), so most people dismissed them and Beach as cheap imitators.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • His distance from Henry was painfully emphasized when his son got in trouble for bullying another classmate, and the idea of Michelle (Andrea Anders) getting engaged to someone else sent him into a tailspin.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of painfully
Adverb
  • The simple answer is that air conditioning is not customary in France, and their architecture is traditionally not built to accommodate it well, even for those who are now desperately seeking relief.
    — Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • No contender needed offensive upgrades more desperately than the Guardians, who own the league’s worst team OPS.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of desperately

Browse Nearby Words

soreheads
sorely
soreness
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Cite this Entry

“Sorely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorely. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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