sorrow

1 of 2

noun

sor·​row ˈsär-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce sorrow (audio)
ˈsȯr-
1
a
: deep distress, sadness, or regret especially for the loss of someone or something loved
b
: resultant unhappy or unpleasant state
to their great sorrow they could not marry
2
: a cause of grief or sadness
3
: a display of grief or sadness

sorrow

2 of 2

verb

sorrowed; sorrowing; sorrows

intransitive verb

: to feel or express sorrow
sorrower noun
Choose the Right Synonym for sorrow

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of sorrow in a Sentence

Noun I felt sorrow at the death of my friend. a life filled with joys and sorrows She had a secret sorrow. Verb a sorrowing mother, grieving over the death of her son the soldier's widow continued to sorrow long after her husband's last letter had turned yellow with age
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.
Noun
Johnny Rockets Drown any potential sorrows in a free milkshake with an in-store purchase. Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024 Many of those recollections contain notes of sorrow. Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
The challenge for the author is to write a pulse-pounding thriller without sorrowing over this injustice too much. Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2023 Finney-Smith has become fan favorite in Dallas, so much so that fan reaction on social media was split between excitement and shock that the Mavericks acquired eight-time All-Star Irving, but also sorrow about Finney-Smith departure. Dallas News, 6 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for sorrow 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sorow, from Old English sorg; akin to Old High German sorga sorrow

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sorrow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sorrow

Cite this Entry

“Sorrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorrow. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sorrow

1 of 2 noun
sor·​row ˈsär-ō How to pronounce sorrow (audio)
ˈsȯr-
1
a
: sadness felt after a loss (as of something loved)
b
: a cause of grief or sadness
2
: a display of grief or sadness

sorrow

2 of 2 verb
: to feel or express sorrow : grieve

More from Merriam-Webster on sorrow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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