1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
a doleful expression on their faces as they said good-bye to the friends they had made over the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the visibly doleful players, heartbroken about their loss
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doleful
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
But while his focus may be on the end, Mahashmashana is anything but dour or doleful.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
But while his focus may be on the end, Mahashmashana is anything but dour or doleful.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doleful
Adjective
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Joining in the festivities is outgoing French student Chloé (Cécile Matignon, hugely appealing), ostensibly in a relationship but flirting brazenly with Nicolau, who even after a few beers is too mournful to pick up the signals.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
10 July 2025
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The mournful cries of nearby Slow-Lows draw attention from other infected in the area, who plant themselves along the top of a picturesque hill waiting for the Alpha’s signal to attack.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The sad reality is that Lucky really hasn't had all that much luck in his life to date.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
-
Collins, who has previously celebrated the unique pleasures of the early dinner, finds something to like about lunch in all its guises—the power lunch, the liquid lunch, even the sad desk lunch.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
25 July 2025
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
-
That's become a new line of attack for the Trump administration, which is already unhappy with the Fed for not moving more aggressively to lower interest rates.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
14 July 2025
-
Speculation is that Ferrari is unhappy with Vasseur's performance, although these rumors have been shut down by Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
April 23, 2025 But a papal funeral is a papal funeral, and those present for the funeral Mass on Saturday, along with millions watching online or on TV around the world, will still observe a solemn moment involving sumptuous Catholic pageantry.—
Elisabetta Povoledo,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Maliciously or willfully disturbing a funeral, memorial service, procession or burial ceremony. Threatening, quarreling or challenging to fight someone, or fighting.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
Too little could leave you feeling down and even depressed.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
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Francis was depressed and couldn’t get out of bed for months, and in July 1976, a jury awarded her $2.6 million, finding the Howard Johnson chain responsible for her unsafe room.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Ak’s heartbroken family are still reeling from her death.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
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Faced with no other option, the heartbroken family surrendered Draco to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC), despite having loved and raised him for over five years.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
For now, this is DeVries on the job: intent but measured, teeth ready to clamp down on his tongue, establishing standards while also very much trying to make sure his team isn’t miserable from the beginning.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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His Panthers opened the season with two miserable losses, complete with booing from fans in the home opener, and the 23-year-old soon became the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the Super Bowl era to be benched for non-injury reasons.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Doleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doleful. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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