sorrowful

adjective

sor·​row·​ful ˈsär-(ˌ)ō-fəl How to pronounce sorrowful (audio)
-ə-fəl
ˈsȯr-
Synonyms of sorrowfulnext
1
: full of or marked by sorrow
a sorrowful goodbye
2
: expressive of or inducing sorrow
sorrowful eyes
sorrowfully
ˈsär-(ˌ)ō-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce sorrowful (audio)
-ə-f(ə-)lē
ˈsȯr-
adverb
sorrowfulness
ˈsär-(ˌ)ō-fəl-nəs How to pronounce sorrowful (audio)
-ə-fəl-
ˈsȯr-
noun

Examples of sorrowful in a Sentence

adopted a sorrowful tone of voice to read the news story about the former governor's death the cult seemed to be a sorrowful assemblage of emotionally scarred people seeking love and redemption
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.
There were women like her—some Indigenous and some African-looking sorrowful in their coarse linen shifts, huddling together. Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Along with intermittent rain, gray skies have accompanied the sorrowful mood that has permeated throughout the garage this weekend in Concord. Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 23 May 2026 Although Ashura is the day when the mourning reaches its culmination, Muharram has come to mean the collection of observances during this sacred and sorrowful time at the start of the year. Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026 But ultimately, what should fans take from the moving yet sorrowful final chapter, which is punctuated with a glimmer of hope and possibly the breath of life for its central characters? Hunter Ingram, Variety, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sorrowful

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sorrowful was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sorrowful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorrowful. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

sorrowful

adjective
sor·​row·​ful ˈsär-ō-fəl How to pronounce sorrowful (audio)
ˈsȯr-
-ə-fəl
1
: full of or showing sorrow
a sorrowful good-bye
2
: expressive of or causing sorrow
sorrowful eyes
sorrowfully adverb

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