sadden

verb

sad·​den ˈsa-dᵊn How to pronounce sadden (audio)
saddened; saddening ˈsad-niŋ How to pronounce sadden (audio)
ˈsa-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make sad

intransitive verb

: to become sad

Examples of sadden in a Sentence

It saddens me that we could not agree. We were saddened to see how ill she looks. She was saddened over the death of her friend. Her face saddened when she heard the news.
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.
The Indianapolis Colts and NFL world were saddened on May 21, 2025, when team owner Jim Irsay suddenly passed away in his sleep. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025 We are deeply saddened by his passing and join the entire Baylor community during this time of mourning. Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 May 2025 We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Sporting KC midfielder Gadi Kinda. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025 Responses: President Trump said on social media that he was saddened to hear of the diagnosis. Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sadden

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sadden was in 1565

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sadden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadden. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

sadden

verb
sad·​den ˈsad-ᵊn How to pronounce sadden (audio)
saddened; saddening -niŋ How to pronounce sadden (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become sad

More from Merriam-Webster on sadden

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!