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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a tale of misery and woe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of woe
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
Andre is often transparent about his unusual health woes.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Shoulder woes dogged him in his first year-plus in the organization, but Lowe went wire-to-wire in 2024, earning a promotion to the high Single-A Midwest League before the end of the year.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for woe
Noun
Homeowners face insurance coverage woes Meanwhile, in Sacramento, the state’s Department of Insurance is working to coax insurers back to California and provide relief for beleaguered homeowners.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2025
In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
Andre is often transparent about his unusual health woes.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Shoulder woes dogged him in his first year-plus in the organization, but Lowe went wire-to-wire in 2024, earning a promotion to the high Single-A Midwest League before the end of the year.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for woe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woe
Interjection
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Williams also recalled witnessing the Super Bowl crowd boo Taylor Swift when she was shown on the jumbotron cheering on her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Highlights include a costume parade (for kids and parents), a Purim story and boo Haman and songs.—
Linda McIntosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2024
Noun
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Kahle said that includes providing resources to participants for whom sharing experiences of intimate partner violence may cause trauma or mental health distress.—
Rae Ellen Bichell and Rachana Pradhan,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2025
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Climate anxiety — emotional distress linked to the climate crisis — is already widespread.—
Brooke Kasl-Godley,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And then, to forever live on earth, in a place with conflict and pain and sorrow, that’s not her goal.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2025
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In churches like this, where belief is expressed in multiple languages, the loss of a pope is a death in the family, and the sorrow, like the faith, runs deep.—
Janet Shamlian,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ellie is stricken with agony, her reaction almost feral.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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The agony of not knowing was heartbreakingly illustrated by the plight of Oscar Johnson, of St. Charles.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But Season 2, by leaning so far into its characters’ anguish, has become more circular and suffocating in its storytelling.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
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Coogler attempts to out-scare Jordan Peele’s Get Out, using horror tropes to match the anguish expressed by the blues.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy described addiction as both a source of misery and a symptom of deeper pain, drawing from his own experience of trying to fill an emotional void with drugs.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
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Now, though, The Last of Us is as blinded as Ellie is by misery.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Although some in the media distort the anger directed at Rowling from trans activists, trans people, and allies, the truth is those feelings — not just anger, but betrayal and grief — are justified.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
18 Apr. 2025
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The film tells the story of a tech entrepreneur (Vincent Cassel) grappling with memory and grief.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Interjection
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Studies of fathers have generated some alarmist headlines over the years, and Hrdy has kindly collated them: no dad joke: fatherhood shrinks the brain; aw, nuts!—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
30 Mar. 2024
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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
Cite this Entry
“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woe. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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