1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the woeful expressions of the players after the humiliating loss
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
never saw a more woeful-looking bunch than those campers sitting there in the drenching rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the restaurant patron made the woeful discovery that he had left his wallet at home
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of woeful
Instead, after 38 games with the woeful New York Jets, he was traded to Carolina, where Darnold started 17 games before too many losses and injuries contributed to losing a quarterback competition to Baker Mayfield in 2022.
—
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
Interestingly enough, Stafford’s passing yardage totals have gone down in the past few weeks – from that 457-yard game against Seattle to 269 in a loss in Atlanta, followed by 259 in a comeback victory over the woeful Arizona Cardinals in the final regular-season game.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
But the Islamic Republic is ultimately to blame for calls for regime change, given its decades-long intransigence to demands for reform, its crackdown on dissidents, and its woeful economic mismanagement and corruption.
—Nahid Siamdoust, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The Heat cooled a bit, but the woeful Kings (12-32) never had enough to make a serious push in the second half.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
Interestingly enough, Stafford’s passing yardage totals have gone down in the past few weeks – from that 457-yard game against Seattle to 269 in a loss in Atlanta, followed by 259 in a comeback victory over the woeful Arizona Cardinals in the final regular-season game.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
But the Islamic Republic is ultimately to blame for calls for regime change, given its decades-long intransigence to demands for reform, its crackdown on dissidents, and its woeful economic mismanagement and corruption.
—Nahid Siamdoust, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
The Heat cooled a bit, but the woeful Kings (12-32) never had enough to make a serious push in the second half.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woeful
Adjective
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Such memories flowed freely this week on social media and in mournful first-person essays.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Newsom shakes his head, seeming more mournful than angry.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
To many, this is a sad, depressing thought.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
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Shortly after the film begins, Jago returns home from the war alone with the sad news that Seamus has been killed.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hitler’s personal copy of History of the Expedition, the narrative of the tragic Wegener venture, can be perused in the rare-book collection at the Library of Congress among the 1,200 or so remnant volumes from Hitler’s private library.—
Timothy W. Ryback,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
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Emmy winner Paris Barclay‘s 105-minute chronicle of the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Billy Preston is a treasure trove for classic rock and soul music fans.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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For Adams’ Laura, its restorative properties are compromised by ever-present memories of her unhappy childhood, many of them directly associated with the family’s gorgeous summer house.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
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Competitive equity playoffs There’s still coaches unhappy with the Southern Section competitive equity playoff system using computer algorithms to place teams in divisions.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And that’s how the forward ended up under a too-bright light at the end of this season, burdened with the unfortunate responsibility of being one of the few players the front office felt was worth investing in long term.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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After Ellis’ unfortunate and sudden passing in 1986, Marc Jacobs was named creative director of the brand in 1988.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Community ‘heartbroken’ over sewage spill Philip Gray used to enjoy paddling down the river in a canoe or floating in an inner tube, beer in hand, toward his home in Cabin John.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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The lyrics emanated from dramatic words and emotions expressed by owner Terry Pegula, football boss Brandon Beane and new head coach about their heartbroken hero.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This season has turned out to be worse than anyone could possibly have imagined, with another injury crisis and truly miserable performances and results under Frank.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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For this Welsh immigrant family rose from nothing to produce an American icon who mastered a distinctly American art form — the ultimate apotheosis of the American Dream — and who is, ironically, the most miserable of them all.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Woeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woeful. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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