Woeful - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Woeful means deeply sorrowful, miserable, or full of grief. It can also describe something extremely poor in quality or regrettable, often evoking pity or disappointment. Example: a woeful performance.
Definition:
Extremely sad, miserable, or pitiful in nature or quality.
Synonyms:
sorrowful, wretched, miserable, lamentable
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
joyful, cheerful
Common Collocations:
woeful expression, woeful tale, woeful performance
Derivatives:
woefully, woefulness
Usage Tips:
Use "woeful" to describe deep sadness or something extremely poor in quality; avoid overuse in casual contexts.
Common Phrases:
woeful ignorance, a woeful state of affairs, cry woeful tears
Etymology:
From Old English "wōful," combining "woe" (grief) and "-ful" (full of).
Examples:
- 1. The team's performance was woeful last night.
- 2. She gave him a woeful look after hearing the bad news.
- 3. The report highlighted the woeful conditions in the shelter.
- 4. His attempt at cooking was utterly woeful.