1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the woeful expressions of the players after the humiliating loss
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
never saw a more woeful-looking bunch than those campers sitting there in the drenching rain
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3
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the restaurant patron made the woeful discovery that he had left his wallet at home
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Recent Examples of woeful
Even ignoring the fact a huge proportion of opposition fans see City’s period of domination as as an aberration/abomination/scandal and all their trophies are null and void, City’s record in Europe is actually pretty woeful considering all the cash thrown at it and their domestic trophies.
—
Sam Lee, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
Last year’s window averaged 38.8 million viewers on Fox, and that was despite the fact that Dallas’ opponent was a woeful Giants squad.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 May 2025
After making the post-season in each of the past two years, the Orioles are a woeful last in the American League East Division at 15-27 and have lost 9 of their last 11 games.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
One only has to observe Amtrak’s woeful track record for keeping the Northeast Corridor running smoothly through New Jersey as an indication of their inability to handle serious repair projects.
—Gerard Bringmann, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Sam Lee, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
Last year’s window averaged 38.8 million viewers on Fox, and that was despite the fact that Dallas’ opponent was a woeful Giants squad.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 May 2025
After making the post-season in each of the past two years, the Orioles are a woeful last in the American League East Division at 15-27 and have lost 9 of their last 11 games.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
One only has to observe Amtrak’s woeful track record for keeping the Northeast Corridor running smoothly through New Jersey as an indication of their inability to handle serious repair projects.
—Gerard Bringmann, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woeful
Adjective
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The Defender published several obituaries, mournful but proud.—
Victor Luckerson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 May 2025
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Trump, meanwhile, drew the public’s attention for wearing a dark blue suit and a lighter blue tie in a sea of mournful black attire.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Stewart is still thanked by gay fans by creating such a rare, highly visible (albeit sad) representation.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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My back hurt from that sad excuse for a chair (seriously, who designs dining chairs to feel like medieval torture devices?).—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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This is a tragic statistic, and too many brilliant, capable women are suffering because of it.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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The law followed the tragic and preventable death of a 16-year-old football player who died from heat stroke during football practice three years earlier.—
Jenna DiPaolo,
Sun Sentinel,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
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The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
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Netflix In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success following 'Wednesday' actually left her unhappy.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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Reports suggested that Daltrey was unhappy with Starkey’s playing on the night, and a number of songs were cut short.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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The timing of Correa’s five-game absence for a concussion sustained in Baltimore on May 15 was unfortunate.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
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This is especially unfortunate because the plot itself is quite harrowing.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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On the internet, though, he is deemed as the heartbroken, brooding type because ...—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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Sherine Smith, a former Capistrano teacher and former Laguna Beach Unified School District superintendent, said the meeting’s tone left her heartbroken.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The Angels left-hander began the season as one of their high leverage relievers, but a miserable outing in the season’s first week told him something wasn’t right.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
26 May 2025
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Walker wears his emotions more viscerally than most players mired in such a miserable start.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Woeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woeful. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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