Synonyms of woe

woe 1 of 2

interjection

ˈwō 

as in boo

used to express sorrow or distress

ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boo
• rats
• alack
• aw
• ay
• alas
• ouch
• wirra
• ow
• shucks
• bah
• pooh
• tush
• phooey
• sheesh
• yuck
• pish
• humph
• ho hum
• faugh
• pshaw
• tsk
• tut
• fie

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• glory
• hallelujah
• alleluia
• hot dog
• hey
• ha
• wow
• hooray
• yahoo
• whee
• whoopee
• wahoo
• yippee

woe

2 of 2

noun

1

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind

a tale of misery and woe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distress
• agony
• misery
• anguish
• pain
• discomfort
• torment
• tribulation
• torture
• hurt
• sorrow
• sadness
• pang
• excruciation
• travail
• heartbreak
• hardship
• strait(s)
• rack
• affliction
• difficulty
• trouble
• heartache
• danger
• unhappiness
• emergency
• ache
• cross
• crucible
• joylessness
• soreness
• jeopardy
• twinge
• trial
• pinch
• stitch
• throe
• smarting
• rigor
• asperity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• consolation
• relief
• comfort
• solace
• ease
• alleviation
• security
• peace
• assuagement
• well-being

2

as in sorrow

deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved

the incessant woe that has haunted her since the death of her husband

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sorrow
• anguish
• grief
• heartbreak
• agony
• heartache
• pain
• sorrowfulness
• guilt
• distress
• misery
• despair
• dolor
• melancholy
• shame
• remorse
• suffering
• torment
• sorriness
• depression
• affliction
• regret
• gloom
• dejection
• unhappiness
• oppression
• wretchedness
• dolefulness
• blues
• gloominess
• dreariness
• dumps
• heartsickness
• despondency
• miserableness
• joylessness
• desolation
• melancholia
• glumness
• doldrums
• downheartedness
• contrition
• rue
• forlornness
• despondence
• woefulness
• desolateness
• blue devils
• mopes
• disconsolateness
• self-pity
• self-reproach
• dispiritedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• joy
• delight
• glee
• happiness
• pleasure
• ecstasy
• bliss
• exultation
• elation
• jubilation
• euphoria
• mirth
• rapture
• exuberance
• gladness
• cheerfulness
• joyousness
• blessedness
• cheer
• exhilaration
• joyfulness
• felicity
• merriment
• cheeriness
• jollity
• gaiety
• merrymaking
• humor
• optimism
• joviality
• lightheartedness
• blissfulness
• gleefulness
• hopefulness
• gayness
• elatedness
• mirthfulness
• enjoyment
• rapturousness
• gladsomeness
• contentment
• content
• sunniness
• contentedness

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

Recent Examples of woe

Noun

Because of the financial woes, the bar decided to lift the mask mandate on Saturdays to increase revenue and keep the business afloat, The Boston Globe reported. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

If your sleeping woes morph into chronic insomnia, more targeted, long-term solutions might be required, such as CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) or prescription medication. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

The credit bureaus are by far the most common subject of consumers’ woes in the database, with over 4 million complaints filed about them in 2025. — Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 23 Sep. 2026

Debate woes have also cropped up in several congressional races in South Florida, including Congressional District 27. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026