sad

1 of 2

adjective

sadder; saddest
1
a
: affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness : downcast
b(1)
: causing or associated with grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
(2)
: regrettable, deplorable
a sad relaxation of moralsC. W. Cunnington
c
: of little worth
2
: of a dull somber color
sadness noun

SAD

2 of 2

abbreviation

seasonal affective disorder

Examples of sad in a Sentence

Adjective He's feeling sad because his pet died. People were sad that he was leaving. The experience left her sadder but wiser. Have you heard the sad news about his wife's illness? It'll be a sad day when you leave us. a movie with a sad ending He lived a sad life. The sad fact of the matter is that they are right. The new version is a sad imitation of the original movie. We needed more money but, sad to say, there wasn't any.
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.
Adjective
But nothing in life is sadder than a reality television person who doesn't know when to retire. Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 15 Jan. 2025 Air France regrets this sad event and expresses its sincere condolences. Michael D. Carroll and Theo Burman, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 Writing from Highland Park, Tóibín concludes his report with a sad anecdote on the library of iconoclastic writer Gary Indiana that arrived in Los Angeles from New York on Jan. 7. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025 Pratt and Montag’s use of this horribly sad moment in their lives as a promotional opportunity could, uncharitably, be seen as cynical. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 13 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sad 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English sæd sated; akin to Old High German sat sated, Latin satis enough

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near sad

Cite this Entry

“Sad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sad. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sad

adjective
sadder; saddest
1
: filled with or expressing grief or unhappiness
sad songs
2
: causing grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
sadly adverb

Medical Definition

SAD

abbreviation
seasonal affective disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on sad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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