as in sadly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
woefully recounted the many injustices that the family had endured at the hands of the dictator
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Recent Examples of woefully
Meanwhile, Glushon said city leaders, including Bass, aren't doing enough to address the concerns of Encino residents, saying the LAPD is woefully understaffed.
—
Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Aid groups have raised alarm about woefully inadequate shelter, sanitation, water and food in Muwasi.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
This does afford Jolie the chance to share a few scenes with the great Vincent Lindon as a concerned doctor, but otherwise her plot is woefully light on specifics, on anything that might define Maxine’s particular reaction to this terrible news.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
But something has gone woefully wrong at Bollinger’s research vessel programs.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Yet Haiti remains shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Steven Vanderporten, an attorney representing Schlep, adds that such changes were woefully overdue.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2025
Well, hard as this may be to believe, the president’s description of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture falls woefully short of accuracy — especially in comparison to his remarks at the museum’s opening in 2017.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
There’s no way of knowing if any of these changes will work, but Daboll had to try something different after woefully slow starts to the past two seasons.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Aid groups have raised alarm about woefully inadequate shelter, sanitation, water and food in Muwasi.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
This does afford Jolie the chance to share a few scenes with the great Vincent Lindon as a concerned doctor, but otherwise her plot is woefully light on specifics, on anything that might define Maxine’s particular reaction to this terrible news.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
But something has gone woefully wrong at Bollinger’s research vessel programs.
—Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Yet Haiti remains shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Steven Vanderporten, an attorney representing Schlep, adds that such changes were woefully overdue.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2025
Well, hard as this may be to believe, the president’s description of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture falls woefully short of accuracy — especially in comparison to his remarks at the museum’s opening in 2017.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
There’s no way of knowing if any of these changes will work, but Daboll had to try something different after woefully slow starts to the past two seasons.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woefully
Adverb
-
He eventually was contacted by a Korean company to audition for them, but sadly, didn’t make it.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
This is, sadly, a lost art; now everything is an elaborate ballet of calling, texting, and planning, with little room for spontaneity.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Tom’s final epiphany related to his estranged son isn’t earned, but not because of Ruffalo; his performance cuts a fine line between bitterly self-destructive and warmly spiritual.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
San Francisco officials fought bitterly against Waymo and now-defunct Cruise robotaxis from General Motors, after their vehicles repeatedly blocked traffic and emergency vehicles, with Cruise the main perpetrator.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
There is a painfully revealing example in Emma where Miss Bates is telling Emma about Jane Fairfax’s prospects as a governess to the Sucklings’ friends the Smallridges.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Sep. 2025
-
My day in court is painfully overdue.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Eagles went chasing on a third-and-8 situation at the Chiefs’ 33 at the start of the third quarter, and Smith went down hard after a deep pass from Hurts fell incomplete along the left sideline.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Woefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woefully. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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