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woe

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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word woe different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of woe are anguish, grief, regret, and sorrow. While all these words mean "distress of mind," woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

When is it sensible to use anguish instead of woe?

The meanings of anguish and woe largely overlap; however, anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

When is grief a more appropriate choice than woe?

The words grief and woe can be used in similar contexts, but grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

Where would regret be a reasonable alternative to woe?

While the synonyms regret and woe are close in meaning, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

When can sorrow be used instead of woe?

While in some cases nearly identical to woe, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

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 woe
Noun
While Mendoza's job is safe, for now, a majority of his staff faced consequences for the team's woes. Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 In Week 1, kicking woes contributed to a 23-20 loss. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Sasaki being the answer to all their bullpen woes is unlikely. Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 The story has too many rich details to be a lie, and Marlon knows something of woe too. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for woe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woe
Noun
  • Get alerts if the system detects acute distress.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Just continue to watch for any signs of distress, and if something else develops, see a vet.
    Joan Morris, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Neighbors and members of the community in Grand Blanc, Michigan, expressed shock and sorrow in interviews with Fox News Digital.
    Anders Hagstrom , Garrett Tenney, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Words cannot capture the depth of our sorrow for their loss.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Safdie may have found a new way to make a sports drama, one that relies less on the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat and more on all that is contained in the ambivalent middle.
    Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Lessing expresses no regret or agony at her childhood actions, or at what happens next.
    Rebecca van Laer September 30, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Yet even the loudest music could not drown out the anguish.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Alma returns home one evening to find Maggie waiting outside with a look of wild anguish and a terrible experience to recount.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The ongoing misery in Charlotte prompted a popular Panthers-centric podcast to throw in the towel.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • But aid agencies say that Israel’s intensification of the war, particularly around Gaza City, has compounded the misery faced by Palestinians.
    Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Her pain and her grief can’t be hers alone.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • As anger fades into apathy and grief is aggravated by guilt, the public also chooses silence.
    Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Interjection
  • In the north of the British Isles, people sometimes combined ye, a second person plural pronoun for you, along with aw, meaning all.
    Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 July 2025
  • And then … aw, just cue up the video player for the epic Francisco Lindor homer that won this thing!
    Jayson Stark, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Sesame oil is high in antioxidants that may help decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, along with reducing joint pain related to arthritis.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Her pain and her grief can’t be hers alone.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woe. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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