sorrowful

adjective

ˈsär-(ˌ)ō-fəl How to pronounce sorrowful (audio)
Definition of sorrowfulnext
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

Relevance

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

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 sorrowful Although Ashura is the day when the mourning reaches its culmination, Muharram has come to mean the collection of observances during this sacred and sorrowful time at the start of the year. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026 But ultimately, what should fans take from the moving yet sorrowful final chapter, which is punctuated with a glimmer of hope and possibly the breath of life for its central characters? — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 15 May 2026 This sorrowful handwaving is taken as a sufficient explanation. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorrowful
  1. mournful
  2. sad
  3. weeping
  4. unhappy
  5. heartbroken
  6. depressed
  7. funeral
  8. miserable
Adjective
  • The years have only intensified Zimmerman’s mournful, hushed vocal performance, and Dream Me a Dream often plays out like a bedtime story spun by a beloved elder, accompanied by soft strings, shakers, and even a synth or two.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 19 June 2026
  • The drama can stir up nostalgia and mournful emotions, and feels personal to many.
    — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • Nostalgic, proud and, yeah, a little sad too, that the decade-long journey of making Stranger Things has come to an end.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
  • In the comments, fans expressed conflicted feelings about the ride’s closure, with some excited for the new version and others sad to hear the original Kumba ride will soon be no more.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of sad
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
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • Brigitte Bardot, a very unhappy wife, is the Penelope stand-in.
    — Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 14 July 2026
  • Given the players’ high-profile status, there is a giant spotlight on the process, with plenty of unhappy fans questioning why the SEC determined both moves were made for athletic purposes.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • The feud shows no signs of ending, and Kate Middleton is reportedly heartbroken over it.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 18 July 2026
  • In 2017, administrators at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh were heartbroken to learn that hundreds of rare books, art prints and maps worth more than $8 million had been purloined from its rare books room.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • The numbers are consistent with the depressed transit levels recorded over recent days since negotiations fell apart.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • Like other OEMs, Samsung has boosted prices on its mid-range and budget offerings, which has depressed sales.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • When his funeral conflicts with Lonnie’s tee time, The Hawk texts in his eulogy between holes.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • Details about the funeral arrangements for Nolan Wells, the teen who was found dead on July 6 after visiting Horn Island, Mississippi, have been released.
    — Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • The story of Superman’s young cousin never achieved liftoff, brought down by miserable reviews and a lack of familiarity with Krypton’s far less famous refugee.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Spurs evolved from a side who did not press well and could not progress the ball through the middle of the pitch through Frank’s miserable period and Tudor’s hapless interlude, to a side who tried to do exactly those things.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of miserable

Browse Nearby Words

sorrow (for)
sorrowful
sorrowfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sorrowful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorrowful. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sorrowful

Nglish: Translation of sorrowful for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All