woes

noun

plural of woe
as in pains
a state of great suffering of body or mind a tale of misery and woe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of woes Weeds and money woes sprouted By July 2025, work on Pennway Point was all but non-existent. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026 The economy During his first weeks as prime minister, Burnham announced a raft of policies targeting Britain’s economic woes, including the reduction of bus fares in England and cuts to business rates bills for pubs and music venues. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 Defense woes could be season-long A week ago FSU allowed 50 points at Alabama, which scored on nine straight drives. — Bob Ferrante, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026 So while Herbert’s stats aren’t pretty, the Chargers’ woes go beyond his performances. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026 Some of these woes have been masked by higher movie ticket prices — which are expected to help boost the domestic box office above $10 billion for the first time since the pandemic — but the moviegoing industry is still adapting to new economics. — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 Orbital data centers are no panacea to our terrestrial data center woes, either. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 24 Sep. 2026 Because of the financial woes, the bar decided to lift the mask mandate on Saturdays to increase revenue and keep the business afloat, The Boston Globe reported. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026 If your sleeping woes morph into chronic insomnia, more targeted, long-term solutions might be required, such as CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) or prescription medication. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woes
  1. pains
  2. distresses
  3. agonies
  4. miseries
Noun
  • With exceptional performances from the entire cast and homages to musical legends like Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, Bioh and White present a reflection of the Black female experience in all of its dazzling idiosyncrasies, triumphs and pains.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Some people spend hundreds on first-class upgrades to feel better, but a pair of lightweight compression socks can prevent a lot of the pains that come with long travel days—even if you’re stuck in economy.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of pains
Noun
  • Pain, infection, medication side effects, and other physical and emotional distresses may be expressed through shouting, intimidating gestures, kicking, pushing, or punching.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
Definition of distresses
Noun
  • There are few harsher agonies than waiting, and throughout the great expanse of the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix presented by Rolex at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, two riders felt that in very different ways.
    — Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Sadly, in discouraging all the phantom agonies, FIFA inadvertently seems to have done away with the equally farcical phenomenon that is Magic Spray®.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of agonies
Noun
  • Some residents said hope is elusive given the island’s litany of miseries – from natural disasters to a bankrupt government to a financial control board that manages funding for infrastructure.
    — Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cyclospora, an intestinal parasite, has sickened thousands of people and hospitalized hundreds with explosive diarrhea, painful cramping, or other gastrointestinal miseries.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of miseries

Browse Nearby Words

woefulness
woes
woke
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Woes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woes. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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