woe

1 of 2

interjection

used to express grief, regret, or distress

woe

2 of 2

noun

plural woes
1
: a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief
2
: ruinous trouble : calamity, affliction
economic woes
Choose the Right Synonym for woe

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of woe in a Sentence

Interjection ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world! Noun The city's traffic woes are well-known. a tale of misery and woe
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Adding to woes are issues with transporting coal via rail and the Russian central bank's record high key interest rate of 21 percent aimed at curbing soaring inflation of 9.5 percent. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025 At recent school board meetings, Keller officials have partly blamed the district’s financial woes on declining enrollment, which has resulted in less state funding. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2025 Replacing that duo with Stafford, even at the tail end of his career, would potentially be the push needed to get over the hump of their first-round playoff woes. Tyler Small, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Bottom line: If Nvidia falters, the S & P 500 could add to its February woes. Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for woe

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English wa, wo, from Old English ; akin to Old Norse vei, interjection, woe, Latin vae

First Known Use

Interjection

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of woe was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woe. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

woe

noun
ˈwō
1
: great suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble
2
: trouble entry 2 sense 1b
economic woes

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