sorrowful
/ˈsɒrəʊfl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɑːrəʊfl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsär-(ˌ)ō-fəl -ə-fəl, ˈsȯr-/ (ame, mw)
sorrowful — adjective
- sorrowfulpositive
- more sorrowfulcomparative
- most sorrowfulsuperlative
1. feeling deep, lasting sadness — especially after losing someone or something imp
feeling deep, lasting sadness — especially after losing someone or something important — or showing this feeling on your face, in your voice, or in what you create.
Dewi's grandmother grew quiet and sorrowful in the weeks after her husband died.
predicative use: be/grow/become + sorrowful describes a person's state
The choir sang a slow, sorrowful song at the memorial for the village teacher.
attributive use: sorrowful + noun for songs, music, poems, or other expressive works
Élise stared at the empty cradle with a sorrowful expression on her face.
Obi wrote a long, sorrowful letter to his sister about leaving their childhood home.
There was a sorrowful note in Lara's voice when she spoke about her brother's accident.
- mournful
very close in meaning; slightly more focused on outward signs of grief (a mournful tune).
- doleful
literary; emphasises a heavy, drawn-out quality of sadness, sometimes mildly ironic.
- grief-stricken
stronger; describes someone overwhelmed by a specific recent loss.
- melancholy
quieter and more reflective; long-lasting low mood without a clear single cause.
用法筆記
Stronger and more formal than 'sad'; suggests sadness rooted in loss, grief, or regret rather than a passing mood. Common in literary, religious, and ceremonial writing. Often describes both people and things that express or arouse sorrow (a sorrowful widow / a sorrowful melody).