WOEFULNESS Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

woefulness

noun

Definition of woefulness

as in oppression

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for woefulness

Noun

Instead, the coalition has identified its primary objective as dismantling the system of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) and liberating the country from its oppression.

— Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Furthermore, the use of economic arguments to justify oppression has disturbing historical precedent.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of oppression

Noun

With these blue collar parents’ grade-school-age son a tangibly quiet presence, a seemingly impassable unhappiness oozes from the opening scenes.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of unhappiness

Noun

The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of melancholy

Noun

Adding to the misery, Jason Sanders — a longtime Dolphins kicker in his first season with the Jets — hit the right upright on a 40-yard try.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
With Dunham as creator, showrunner and star, the original series ran from 2012 to 2017 and followed a group of friends through the misery and dysfunction of their 20s in New York City.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of misery

Noun

Against the backdrop of seemingly endless violence, artists banded together and dabbled in soul, disco, and jazz as a salve to their suffering.

— Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
The conflict has displaced communities and caused widespread civilian suffering.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of suffering

Noun

Jonestown afflicted Naipaul’s vision, his way of deciphering not just political manias but the dreariness of urban life, the perpetual doom of the nuclear-arms race.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026
Days shorten, shadows lengthen, and the cold and dreariness of winter return.

— Thomas A. DuBois, The Conversation, 17 June 2026

Definition of dreariness

Noun

In the space of a few paragraphs, Ned will abandon and recover his child, bungle an extramarital affair, win and lose, experience ecstasy and dejection.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
Miller’s hands dropped quickly to his side in frustrated dejection.

— Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of dejection

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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woefully

woefulness

woes

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“Woefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woefulness. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of woefulness

noun

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