alas

1 of 2

interjection

used to express unhappiness, pity, or concern
Life, alas, is too short.

Alas

2 of 2

abbreviation

Examples of alas in a Sentence

Interjection Juliet's pitiful lament, “alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead!”.
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.
Interjection
On that question, alas, my fears turned out to be right. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Or that putting some measures in place to combat bias and nepotism (which is what good diversity and inclusion interventions do, but alas most don’t) is, like any attempt to change the status quo, an assault on meritocracy. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 If the shorts themselves aren’t always memorable, the issues, alas, will remain. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025 Brave New World, alas, is not a movie anybody would aspire to make, at least in its current condition. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for alas

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from a ah + las weary, from Latin lassus — more at lassitude

First Known Use

Interjection

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alas was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Alas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alas. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

alas

interjection
used to express unhappiness, pity, or concern

More from Merriam-Webster on alas

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