as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
with time the young woman got over the unhappiness caused by the breakup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 unhappiness
As 2025 ends, there’s still a lot of anger about what was revealed in the lawsuit, and some fans may very well carry that unhappiness with them until there are leadership changes at the executive level.
—
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Early trust-building efforts were hindered by our poor diplomatic handling of AUKUS, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, and your unhappiness with the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Amanda Sloat, Time, 2 Jan. 2026
Brooks explained that happiness and unhappiness are processed in different hemispheres in the brain and are not the opposite of each other.
—Susan Caminiti, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
Polly lives a double life, trying to mask her daily unhappiness and her loss of self, desperate to be adored by a man who doesn’t want any part of her other life.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
But the actress added that Landon's own personal life was mired in unhappiness — and the desire for more helped inform his work on Little House.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
Patullo said that unhappiness over job performance should never spill into a coach or athlete’s personal life.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 4 Dec. 2025
Any growling or negative reactions shouldn’t be punished, as the dog is just showing their unhappiness.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Buckley plays Agnes’s unhappiness at being cooped up very well, and effectively conveys the extraordinary heartbreak over her son.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2025
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Early trust-building efforts were hindered by our poor diplomatic handling of AUKUS, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, and your unhappiness with the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Amanda Sloat, Time, 2 Jan. 2026
Brooks explained that happiness and unhappiness are processed in different hemispheres in the brain and are not the opposite of each other.
—Susan Caminiti, CNBC, 16 Dec. 2025
Polly lives a double life, trying to mask her daily unhappiness and her loss of self, desperate to be adored by a man who doesn’t want any part of her other life.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
But the actress added that Landon's own personal life was mired in unhappiness — and the desire for more helped inform his work on Little House.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
Patullo said that unhappiness over job performance should never spill into a coach or athlete’s personal life.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 4 Dec. 2025
Any growling or negative reactions shouldn’t be punished, as the dog is just showing their unhappiness.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Buckley plays Agnes’s unhappiness at being cooped up very well, and effectively conveys the extraordinary heartbreak over her son.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhappiness
Noun
-
Emotions were on full display with many expressing sadness and frustration, not only over Wednesday's federal raid, but raids happening around the Twin Cities over the last 40 days.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The initial answer to that question is a no, according to some evangelical pastors and commentators who reacted with shock and sadness to Yancey’s confession.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And on a more basic level, gardening activities also serve to reduce anxiety, aggression and depression, and to increase cognitive function.—
The San Diego Union Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Feeling tired is not a typical sign of high blood pressure and is more often linked to other issues like poor sleep, depression, or low blood pressure.—
Alexandria Nyembwe,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Coppola and production designer Ziering will explore their creative partnership, the aesthetic and emotional storytelling that defines Coppola’s visual universe — from the suburban melancholy of Palo Alto to the luminous complexity of The Last Showgirl.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Full of dread and melancholy, the Austrian import flips the creepy-kid script a bit by centering on two boys (Elias and Lukas Schwarz) who wonder whether their mom (Susanne Wuest), whose head is wrapped in bandages after facial surgery, is actually their mom. 38.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhappiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhappiness. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share