woe

1 of 2

interjection

Synonyms of woenext
used to express grief, regret, or distress

woe

2 of 2

noun

plural woes
1
: a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief
2
: ruinous trouble : calamity, affliction
economic woes
Choose the Right Synonym for woe

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of woe in a Sentence

Interjection ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world! Noun The city's traffic woes are well-known. a tale of misery and woe
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.
Noun
Hopefully, Poeltl can put his back woes behind him and return to playing like a competent starting centre who does all the little things. Eric Koreen, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026 President Masoud Pezeshkian has attempted to at least partly shoulder the blame for the country’s woes and even suggested on Monday that the interior minister should meet with leaders among the protesters to address their concerns and try to solve their problems. Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026 Dykstra has had legal woes in the past, including serving prison time in California for bankruptcy fraud. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026 Prior to his legal woes, Dykstra spent 12 years in the MLB, playing for the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for woe

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English wa, wo, from Old English ; akin to Old Norse vei, interjection, woe, Latin vae

First Known Use

Interjection

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

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

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

Cite this Entry

“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woe. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

woe

noun
ˈwō
1
: great suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble
2
: trouble entry 2 sense 1b
economic woes

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