1
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
a doleful expression on their faces as they said good-bye to the friends they had made over the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
the visibly doleful players, heartbroken about their loss
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doleful
But while his focus may be on the end, Mahashmashana is anything but dour or doleful.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2024
James, with his doleful countenance, makes the adult Hal vaguely sympathetic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for doleful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doleful
Adjective
-
The slow, mournful piano chords capture the somber bite of the scene with remarkable punch yet also a sobering stillness, and that’s before the elegiac words carry the song off into the sky.—
Daniel Dylan Wray,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2025
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Wynette’s mournful lyrics about a partner who has left—will one protagonist leave the other during the game’s main campaign?—to the sound of lonely, sad acoustic country music is the flip side of Wang Chung’s carefree spirit.—
Brady Gerber,
Vulture,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
Stewart is still thanked by gay fans by creating such a rare, highly visible (albeit sad) representation.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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My back hurt from that sad excuse for a chair (seriously, who designs dining chairs to feel like medieval torture devices?).—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
Reports suggested that Daltrey was unhappy with Starkey’s playing on the night, and a number of songs were cut short.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
-
Netflix In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success following 'Wednesday' actually left her unhappy.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
Bright red ribbons decorate the trees and signposts of northwest suburban Niles in anticipation of a funeral procession and service today to honor Chicago Fire Department Capt. David Meyer, who was killed last week while battling a suspicious garage fire in the Austin neighborhood.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
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The funeral Mass for Pope Francis was attended by many world leaders including President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That would increase to 40% for productions outside of the Los Angeles area, or in economically depressed areas of Los Angeles.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
23 May 2025
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Escorting the world's loneliest elephant across Asia In 2020, when most of the world was sealed up due to the COVID pandemic, Cher was flying around Asia fighting for Kaavan, a depressed elephant, stuck in a particularly nasty zoo in Pakistan.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
On the internet, though, he is deemed as the heartbroken, brooding type because ...—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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Sherine Smith, a former Capistrano teacher and former Laguna Beach Unified School District superintendent, said the meeting’s tone left her heartbroken.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The Angels left-hander began the season as one of their high leverage relievers, but a miserable outing in the season’s first week told him something wasn’t right.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
26 May 2025
-
Power wound up 19th, the highest-finishing Penske driver on a miserable day for the organization owned by Roger Penske.—
Jenna Fryer,
Hartford Courant,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Doleful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doleful. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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