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
The best power-pop thrives on the simmering tension between joyous jangle and sorrowful sentiment, and Presley imbues Orange’s songs with a palpable sense of shame and regret that makes even its most ebullient tracks feel heavy.
—
Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 29 Apr. 2026
It’s based on an unconventional true story from recent history, set on the British Isles, with a tone that alternates between humorous and sorrowful before delivering an uplifting and humanist message, with skillfully invisible filmmaking that takes a backseat to the performances and story.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Retaliatory homicides of gang adversaries have spasmed for six years in Fort Worth, at times creating a sorrowful rhythm of tit-for-tat killings.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026
Season 2’s prevailing tone is at once more serious and less sorrowful.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 29 Apr. 2026
It’s based on an unconventional true story from recent history, set on the British Isles, with a tone that alternates between humorous and sorrowful before delivering an uplifting and humanist message, with skillfully invisible filmmaking that takes a backseat to the performances and story.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Retaliatory homicides of gang adversaries have spasmed for six years in Fort Worth, at times creating a sorrowful rhythm of tit-for-tat killings.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026
Season 2’s prevailing tone is at once more serious and less sorrowful.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorrowful
Adjective
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The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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On the soundtrack, mournful wailing music presents her as a tragic character.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The other six ascended to the highest office in the land as a result of the dysfunction that has made Peru a punch line in political-science circles, a sad story of ungovernability played on a loop.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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There’s a one-note quality to the film’s comedy that grows steadily, even deliberately, more abrasive over two hours, but the sad, brash, gradually shrinking bigness of the personalities at its center holds your attention.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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Carting around unhappy campers in 100-degree weather and squeezing work into a shorter window is not exactly being poolside with a marg.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
4 June 2026
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Mansfield city hall a point of contention Melissa Perez, who ultimately lost to Simmons in last year’s council race, is one of those unhappy with Mansfield’s leadership and its direction.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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This new dating trend is leaving people baffled and heartbroken.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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As word spread of Riley's death, his heartbroken family led the public tributes.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Wright’s comments come as the latest data from IMF’s PortWatch showed traffic remains depressed through Hormuz, a key route for exporting crude from the Middle East.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
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As anxiety has mounted about depressed entry-level hiring, with Gen Z crowds even booing luminaries such as Eric Schmidt amid commencement speeches touting AI, Dimon has given warm but blunt advice to ambitious young workers.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Also on Monday, senior government, police and military officials attended funeral prayers for the slain security personnel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
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With Hillary Dawa alone on the world’s tallest mountain in perilous conditions for so long, his family had already begun funeral rites for him.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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The sea was rough, windy, and miserable.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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The Angels thumped the Colorado Rockies 11-4, but one good night cannot change the trajectory of a miserable season.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sorrowful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorrowful. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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