sadden

verb

sad·​den ˈsa-dᵊn How to pronounce sadden (audio)
saddened; saddening ˈsad-niŋ How to pronounce sadden (audio)
ˈsa-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make sad

intransitive verb

: to become sad

Examples of sadden in a Sentence

It saddens me that we could not agree. We were saddened to see how ill she looks. She was saddened over the death of her friend. Her face saddened when she heard the news.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Mustard: Dark cloud that descends, making one saddened and low for no reason. Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025 His humble approach to people explains why many of us regardless of religion are saddened by the pope’s death. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 Apr. 2025 King Charles, Queen Camilla were 'deeply saddened' by Pope Francis death The British royals mourned the death of Pope Francis in a lengthy statement on Monday. Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 The community was saddened in 2023 when Ms. Liu, the school’s co-founder, died. Heather Knight, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sadden

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sadden was in 1565

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Cite this Entry

“Sadden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadden. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sadden

verb
sad·​den ˈsad-ᵊn How to pronounce sadden (audio)
saddened; saddening -niŋ How to pronounce sadden (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become sad

More from Merriam-Webster on sadden

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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