1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the woeful expressions of the players after the humiliating loss
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Absolutely woeful list from a guy who clearly only watches Barca and Madrid.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Previous Houston teams had to hope their suffocating defense would compensate for woeful shooting.
—Steve Kornacki, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Next up for Miami: a Monday night game at woeful Washington, before tougher assignments await Wednesday in Boston and Thursday at home against Memphis.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2025
Maryland will make its 15th appearance and has a woeful 2-12 record.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Previous Houston teams had to hope their suffocating defense would compensate for woeful shooting.
—Steve Kornacki, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025
Next up for Miami: a Monday night game at woeful Washington, before tougher assignments await Wednesday in Boston and Thursday at home against Memphis.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2025
Maryland will make its 15th appearance and has a woeful 2-12 record.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woeful
Adjective
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That consistency was perhaps why, despite the Warriors’ stunning Game 1 win, the tone of their postgame interviews was at times mournful rather than celebratory.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
7 May 2025
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One aspect is the story that is told, which is a very mournful story of a mother losing a child and then abandoning herself to the river as the child was.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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If my random and unscientific survey of some French opinion at all represents the nation’s as a whole, then the debut of Donald Trump’s America has left some French triste — a bit sad, even brokenhearted, and also wary and vigilant.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
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Her story is beautiful and sad, heartwarming and devastating.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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The story has crushingly tragic elements and contemplates the big mysteries of life and death through a spiritual lens.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
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Throwing the whole weight of government and community toward violence reduction is Chicago’s best bet in efforts to reduce the frequency and tragic costs of gun violence.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2025
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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Kraft had strong leads among some voting groups polled, the poll showed, including Republicans, voters who disapprove of Boston’s sanctuary city status, those unhappy with Boston’s quality of life, and those prioritizing government spending/taxes.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2025
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Among those Americans unhappy with the cuts to the federal government, Musk has only a 6% approval rating, while 89% disapprove.—
Catherine Arnst,
Quartz,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After a half-decade of unfortunate injuries and the still-strange collapse in the bubble, Leonard at last looks like his two-time Finals MVP self.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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Responding to the precariousness of our moment, museums have reified the problem with an unfortunate watchword: relevance.—
Eric Crosby,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The recent tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River, which claimed six lives, has left our city heartbroken and once again grappling with difficult questions about public safety and aviation policy.—
Keith Powers,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2025
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The heartbroken couple spent days looking for Valerie but eventually had to return to their lives in Broken Hill, New South Wales.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Their defensive game plan was clearly to make Kucherov’s life miserable, and the defending champions succeeded mightily.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Wall Street racked up yet one more miserable day in a month of miserable days on April 21, once again seeing a sizable selloff in both the stock market and the bond market, as the Standard & Poor's 500 fell 2.36% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.48%.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Woeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woeful. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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