1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
the woeful expressions of the players after the humiliating loss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 woeful
That and other violations of food safety caused a woeful Wednesday at Meat Eatery and Taproom, and Party Cake.
—
David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Chicago missed 10 shots and had five turnovers during the woeful stretch.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Manager Craig Counsell said last week that the woeful ERAs in Arizona shouldn’t be a reason for alarm.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
UConn celebrated a 73-72 win emphatically, with Mullins the major hero after a game of woeful team shooting from three-point range.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for woeful
David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Chicago missed 10 shots and had five turnovers during the woeful stretch.
—CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Manager Craig Counsell said last week that the woeful ERAs in Arizona shouldn’t be a reason for alarm.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
UConn celebrated a 73-72 win emphatically, with Mullins the major hero after a game of woeful team shooting from three-point range.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for woeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woeful
Adjective
-
The hour-long event included mournful hymns, prayers and the laying of wreaths by the participants, which included representatives from many countries around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His face, always stationed somewhere halfway to hangdog, seems to gain 20 new creases carved deep into his skin, accentuating his mournful eyes and his excruciated, heartbroken smile.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Back in the city, Amanda and Ciara go for a walk so that Amanda can hear all about the makeup with West and then tell Ciara the very sad tale of her love story as it was related to their couple’s therapist.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
None at all leads to slow, pale, sad-looking growth that limps through the season.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Then something tragic takes place.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In 1999, 81 years after the tragic sinking, the crew members of the Tampa were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
29 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
-
Alex Cora was clearly unhappy towards the end.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There were thousands of unhappy Stagecoach festivalgoers on Saturday night, as the approximately 75,000-80,000 guests were forced to evacuate due to high winds.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even before the president set off this unfortunate round of gerrymandering, Democratic states such as New York and Illinois were already heavily gerrymandered.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
-
He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At the end of the book, feeling heartbroken about Marcus’ involvement in Nancy’s death, Mary kills Howard by giving him too many painkillers.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The heartbroken mother didn’t want to be identified, fearing for her family’s safety.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The reality could not have been more miserable.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Apple TV‘s Pluribus is described as a genre-bending original in which the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Woeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woeful. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
