woeful

/ˈwəʊfl/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈofəl] /ˈwəʊfl/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈofəl] /ˈwō-fəl How to pronounce woeful (audio)/ (ame, mw)

woeful — adjective

  • woefulpositive
  • more woefulcomparative
  • most woefulsuperlative

1. so bad, unsatisfactory, or serious that it shocks or disappoints you — used abou

1.形容詞B2
釋義

so bad, unsatisfactory, or serious that it shocks or disappoints you — used about the quality of something, the condition of a place, or the amount of effort put into something.

例句

The school's roof was in such woeful condition that rain poured into three classrooms.

collocation: woeful condition / woeful state

Kwame's team put on a woeful performance, losing the match 6–0.

同義詞
  • deplorable

    stronger moral disapproval — suggests something that should be condemned

  • dreadful

    more informal and widely used — can describe anything from weather to food

  • appalling

    emphasises shock and disgust at something that should never happen

反義詞
  • excellent

    the opposite of very bad quality

  • impressive

    describes performance or effort that is notably good

用法筆記

Commonly used before nouns describing quality, preparation, or effort (performance, state, condition, lack, response). Its adverb form woefully very often modifies adjectives of insufficiency: woefully inadequate, woefully unprepared, woefully underfunded.

常見錯誤

❌The food was woeful, so I ate it anyway.
✅The food was woeful, so I sent it back to the kitchen.
💡woeful means extremely bad, so continuing to eat it contradicts the meaning.
❌The team was woeful at football when they were beginners.
✅The team's woeful performance showed a complete lack of practice.
💡woeful describes the result, not a temporary beginner state.

2. feeling or expressing deep sadness, grief, or unhappiness — used about a person,

2.形容詞C1
釋義

feeling or expressing deep sadness, grief, or unhappiness — used about a person, their voice or facial expression, or a sound that shows great sorrow.

例句

Minh let out a woeful cry upon hearing that the family dog had gone missing.

collocation: let out a woeful cry

The abandoned puppy had a woeful look in its eyes that broke Abigail's heart.

同義詞
  • sorrowful

    more formal and literary — suggests quiet, dignified sadness

  • mournful

    implies sadness caused by a specific loss or death

  • heartbreaking

    used about events or sights that cause sadness, not about a person's own feeling

反義詞
  • joyful

    feeling or showing great happiness

  • cheerful

    noticeably happy and optimistic

用法筆記

Describes deep, heartfelt sadness rather than mild unhappiness. Typically used for sounds (cry, wail, moan), facial expressions (look, expression, face), or written expressions of grief (letter, poem). Less common in modern conversation than in literary or descriptive writing.

常見錯誤

❌I felt a bit woeful after missing the bus.
✅The family was woeful after losing their home in the fire.
💡woeful describes profound grief, not minor everyday annoyance.
❌She looked woeful when she dropped her ice cream.
✅She let out a woeful sigh when she learned her application had been rejected.
💡woeful requires a real cause for sorrow.