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
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense have been solid through the first eight games of the 2025 NFL season, but the Dallas defense has fallen woefully short.
—
Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Production on season one had fallen woefully behind schedule, as whole episodes were scrapped, scripts were written at the eleventh hour and producers, including Bell, began second-guessing the series’ tone.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Even well into the 1930s, America’s defense machinery was woefully lacking, especially in the critical transport of material and personnel.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
These methods, while less exacting, are also woefully undemocratic, allowing lawmakers to act independently from and against the interests of the American public.
—Big Think, 10 Oct. 2025
Cope is woefully unprepared for the physical rigor of boot camp, but fully invested in making it to graduation.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025
This means that housing is woefully out of reach for many of my patients.
—Sarah Stella, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
Blanket statements about boundaries are woefully inadequate because the contexts of our relationships matter.
—Margeaux Feldman, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
Daniels, the union president, said his controllers have dealt with a woefully understaffed air traffic control system for years.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Production on season one had fallen woefully behind schedule, as whole episodes were scrapped, scripts were written at the eleventh hour and producers, including Bell, began second-guessing the series’ tone.
—Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
Even well into the 1930s, America’s defense machinery was woefully lacking, especially in the critical transport of material and personnel.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
These methods, while less exacting, are also woefully undemocratic, allowing lawmakers to act independently from and against the interests of the American public.
—Big Think, 10 Oct. 2025
Cope is woefully unprepared for the physical rigor of boot camp, but fully invested in making it to graduation.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025
This means that housing is woefully out of reach for many of my patients.
—Sarah Stella, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
Blanket statements about boundaries are woefully inadequate because the contexts of our relationships matter.
—Margeaux Feldman, Time, 7 Oct. 2025
Daniels, the union president, said his controllers have dealt with a woefully understaffed air traffic control system for years.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woefully
Adverb
-
This should be, but sadly will probably not be, the line that shouldn’t have been crossed.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Discovering the chemicals responsible for smoke taint is, sadly, only half the battle.—
Nicola Twilley,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Its inhabitants were left without light or heat during a bitterly cold polar vortex, with temperatures as low as 2 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Hasina was bitterly criticized by both her opponents and independent critics for sending Zia to jail.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
When cases do move forward, justice is often partial and painfully slow, with proceedings stretching on for years and often failing to bring those ultimately responsible to justice.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Even if inflation was falling, prices were still rising – just more slowly, and from painfully high levels.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Alexandria has been really hard hit, down 50% in that period.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
6 Jan. 2026
-
For instance, walking most days is far better than exercising hard once a month.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Woefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woefully. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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