Definition of sorrowfulnext
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as in sad
feeling unhappiness the cult seemed to be a sorrowful assemblage of emotionally scarred people seeking love and redemption

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sorrowful Amazon Prime offers a wide selection of sad movies, catering to various tastes, from sorrowful classics like Bicycle Thieves (1948) to heartbreaking modern dramas like Till (2022), each guaranteed to get your tear ducts working overtime. Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026 After evening fell, a somber, sorrowful crowd in the hundreds kept a vigil by the memorial. Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026 After evening fell, a somber, sorrowful crowd in the hundreds kept a vigil by the memorial. Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026 As the two catch up, Crudup veers from good-natured to sorrowful to bitter to menacing in a matter of minutes. Jenelle Riley, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sorrowful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorrowful
Adjective
  • Then, in the Andante movement, the upper strings opened with a glassy sound before the mournful line of the cello entered.
    Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Over the years, humpback whale songs have been recorded for human listening, with many describing the songs as having a haunting, mournful quality.
    Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • And there is a beautiful human element to it that is kind of, at its core, a little sad.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The vlogger Jordan Cheyenne, for one, wrecked her sharenting career by accidentally posting footage of herself coaching her son, who was distraught over the family’s sick puppy, to make a specific kind of sad face for YouTube.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
  • Auriemma was apparently unhappy with the officiating in the game and the disparity in free throw shooting.
    Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Despite the changes, some in the Senate were still unhappy with the final iteration.
    Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • She was implicated in the case, with heartbroken Karadec handling her booking himself.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Joe heads back downstairs and Irene looks… heartbroken.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.
    City News Service, Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • There was also research, which Meta eventually halted, implying that people who curbed their use of Facebook became less depressed and anxious.
    Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • In a news release shared by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, investigators said that they were made aware of several theft victims who had things stolen from their cars while attending funeral services at the cemetery, which is located in the 22000 block of Van Buren Boulevard.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Cyrene then instructs her son to appease the nymphs, Eurydice’s companions, and to make funeral offerings to Eurydice’s husband Orpheus.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Wagler led the Illini with 20 points, but Illinois shot a miserable 34% (19 of 56) from the field and 23% (6 of 26) from 3-point range.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Porter Martone capped a fantastic first week in the NHL with a power-play goal in the NHL to put the Philadelphia Flyers even closer toward ending a miserable playoff drought with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
    CBS News, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sorrowful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorrowful. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

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