1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
adopted a sorrowful tone of voice to read the news story about the former governor's death
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the cult seemed to be a sorrowful assemblage of emotionally scarred people seeking love and redemption
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sorrowful
Anderson’s depiction of this process — a clever and orderly network of seemingly anonymous people performing clandestine miracles — is one of the most stirring aspects of the film, inspiring in its testament to mutual aid while sorrowful that such things have to exist at all.
—
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2025
While Saturn might make this period feel sorrowful, remember that dreams take commitment and time.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
In the battered corridors of these hospitals, already eroded by man’s normal suffering, there was no sorrowful horde.
—Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Whereas Armah’s novel operates in the sorrowful register of existentialism, Sembène and Cissé’s films revel in the barbed parameters of comedy and trade in the comeuppance of corrupt leaders.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2025
While Saturn might make this period feel sorrowful, remember that dreams take commitment and time.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
In the battered corridors of these hospitals, already eroded by man’s normal suffering, there was no sorrowful horde.
—Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Whereas Armah’s novel operates in the sorrowful register of existentialism, Sembène and Cissé’s films revel in the barbed parameters of comedy and trade in the comeuppance of corrupt leaders.
—Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorrowful
Adjective
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Walt Disney Imagineering updated the storyline of Black Widow Bride Constance Hatchway earlier this year by turning her from an axe murderer who beheads her wealthy husbands into a more mournful figure overwhelmed by the dread of lost love.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
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In this context, even a simple boast about wielding a Beretta sounded mournful.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Steve's wife, Chelsey Bridges, announced the sad news on Friday in a video shared to her late husband's social pages.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
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This admission seemed sad—critics are supposed to take pride in withstanding disagreement.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Jason Kelce, brother of Travis and former star of the Philadelphia Eagles, has issued a statement after a fake quote of him appearing to criticize those unhappy with the selection of Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl Halftime Show went viral.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
15 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Lawmakers are reportedly unhappy with briefings on the strikes, unable to clarify the legal basis of the strikes, and the refusal from Pentagon officials to provide unedited video footage of such incidents.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Actually, more than mad, the guy is heartbroken.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
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Among those heartbroken fans was DJ Premier, who was one of the first people to comment on his passing.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Volunteers became depressed, irritable, anxious, and withdrawn.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Jeffrey Rignall died in 2000 In the wake of Gacy’s attack, Rignall became depressed and withdrawn, suffering from bouts of vomiting and losing nearly 40 pounds, per The Courier Journal.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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According to the complaint, Espinoza’s wife, uncle and aunt were told by funeral staff that there was a mix-up regarding the viewing time and viewing arrangements.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Brock demands a jury trial and seeks damages for funeral and medical expenses, and for her pain and suffering, the suit says.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That is, even the Pew study contradicted the claims people were making about wealthier moms being the most miserable and stressed.—
Stephanie H. Murray,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
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Blake Treinen got a pop-up and a strikeout to get out of that inning and now has had five effective outings in his six postseason appearances, after a miserable September.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sorrowful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorrowful. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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