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
Like many in my field, I’ve been frustrated by woefully inadequate options for pain management, shaped by centuries of gender bias and a lack of investment in women’s health research.
—
Maryl Sackeim, STAT, 20 Mar. 2026
Not all wavelengths have received equal attention, however, and some wavelengths have been woefully neglected in recent years.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
That means people covered by other insurers must find mental health treatment elsewhere, a prospect that’s difficult in a county that, by most accounts, is woefully underserved to meet a fast-growing need for mental health care.
—Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
The song is one of many that addresses a period where Musgraves was sometimes blissfully and sometimes woefully romantically unattached.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 11 Mar. 2026
The tie was decided when stationary West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola saved Dango Ouattara’s woefully taken Panenka effort in the shootout.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Thus far, that effort is falling woefully short.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Yet such standards are missing or woefully inadequate.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
His birdie chances on the 17th and 18th were woefully short on greens where short putts can be scary.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Maryl Sackeim, STAT, 20 Mar. 2026
Not all wavelengths have received equal attention, however, and some wavelengths have been woefully neglected in recent years.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
That means people covered by other insurers must find mental health treatment elsewhere, a prospect that’s difficult in a county that, by most accounts, is woefully underserved to meet a fast-growing need for mental health care.
—Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
The song is one of many that addresses a period where Musgraves was sometimes blissfully and sometimes woefully romantically unattached.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 11 Mar. 2026
The tie was decided when stationary West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola saved Dango Ouattara’s woefully taken Panenka effort in the shootout.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Thus far, that effort is falling woefully short.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
Yet such standards are missing or woefully inadequate.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
His birdie chances on the 17th and 18th were woefully short on greens where short putts can be scary.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woefully
Adverb
-
But, sadly, sometimes people do go leak classified information in those big settings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Ride sadly passed away July 23, 2012, at the age of 61, following a battle with a terminal illness.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The approval comes as the parties are fighting bitterly over the policies of the Department of Homeland Security, leading to a funding lapse that is now in its 34th day.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The bitterly cold wind chills will linger through the morning commute, then gradually improve this afternoon as winds ease and temperatures climb.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
These stock-heavy portfolios can leave people painfully exposed to downturns.—
Liz Weston,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Campbell’s script has both stylized and naturalistic dialogue, giving us a group of teens who feel painfully real in their inconsistency.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
They are being hit so hard, anybody would be negotiating.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There is serious concern that a stoppage that costs games could dampen the enthusiasm the sport worked hard to rebuild.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Woefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woefully. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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