woefully
/ˈwəʊfəli/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈofəli] /ˈwəʊfəli/ (ame, ipa)
woefully — adverb
1. used for saying that something is much worse or more serious than it should be,
used for saying that something is much worse or more serious than it should be, or that an action is done with great sadness
The hospital's emergency room was woefully understaffed during the night shift.
woefully + adjective (understaffed)
Noa sighed woefully when she heard that the community garden would be closed.
woefully + verb (sighed)
The government's response to the drought was woefully slow and disorganised.
Lan looked woefully at the empty cupboard, realising there was nothing left to eat.
Many schools in the region are woefully lacking in basic materials like books and paper.
- sadly
more general and less intense; can describe any kind of grief or disappointment
- dreadfully
similar intensity but carries a sense of shock or fear
- miserably
focuses on personal unhappiness rather than objective failure
- deplorably
more formal; emphasises that something is unacceptable
- adequately
opposite when woefully means 'very badly/insufficiently'
- cheerfully
opposite when woefully means 'in a sad manner'
文法句型
woefully + adjective (inadequate, unprepared, insufficient)
woefully + verb (sigh, look, shake one's head)
用法筆記
This adverb is most often used before adjectives that describe something as being too little, too slow, or not good enough (inadequate, insufficient, unprepared). When used with verbs, it typically describes a sad or disappointed action.