doleful

adjective

dole·​ful ˈdōl-fəl 

1

: full of grief : cheerless

a doleful face

2

: expressing grief : sad

a doleful melody

3

: causing grief or affliction

a doleful loss

dolefully

ˈdōl-fə-lē 

adverb

dolefulness noun

Synonyms

• aching
• agonized
• anguished
• bemoaning
• bewailing
• bitter
• deploring
• dolesome
• dolorous
• funeral
• grieving
• heartbroken
• lamentable
• lugubrious
• mournful
• plaintive
• plangent
• regretful
• rueful
• sorrowful
• sorry
• wailing
• weeping
• woeful

Examples of doleful in a Sentence

The girl had a doleful look on her face.

You sounded so doleful about your future that night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Self-contained in a suit and clad by ironic distance, the unnamed sort calls to mind all the doleful observers that have traipsed across the screen since il cinema went modern, highlighting a weakness of a film that could benefit from a touch more idiosyncrasy. —Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024

These scenes are very often fun, filthy, hot, and, frankly, a relief after so much doleful, droopy coupling. —Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024

Where the Sea Change version sounds doleful, the new orchestration sounded almost hopeful with strings that glide over the chords and a perky piccolo poking through the musical ceiling. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2024

The record’s doleful orchestral compositions feature contributions from Ishibashi’s longtime musical partner Jim O’Rourke. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

see dole entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

doleful

adjective

dole·​ful ˈdōl-fəl 

1

: full of grief : sad

2

: expressing grief

dolefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

dolefulness noun