woe 1 of 2

interjection

ˈwō How to pronounce woe (audio)
Definition of woenext
as in boo
used to express sorrow or distress ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

woe

2 of 2

noun

1
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind a tale of misery and woe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorrow
deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved the incessant woe that has haunted her since the death of her husband

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word woe different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of woe are anguish, grief, regret, and sorrow. While all these words mean "distress of mind," woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

When is it sensible to use anguish instead of woe?

The meanings of anguish and woe largely overlap; however, anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

When is grief a more appropriate choice than woe?

The words grief and woe can be used in similar contexts, but grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

Where would regret be a reasonable alternative to woe?

While the synonyms regret and woe are close in meaning, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

When can sorrow be used instead of woe?

While in some cases nearly identical to woe, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of woe
Noun
Tariff woes have pushed Japan's blue-chip Nikkei stock index to its lowest since September.N225, and taken the edge off a stunning rally in European stocks .STOXX. — Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025 There has been much hand-wringing over the size of the welfare bill, which — given the U.K.’s economic woes and the demographics — is clearly unsustainable. — Roger Trapp, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025 To help cure her woes and feel more connected to the world, Lucia starts driving a taxi. — Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 The Studio stars Seth Rogen as a rising Hollywood executive struggling to juggle creative and financial woes. — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for woe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for woe
  1. boo
  2. distress
  3. sorrow
  4. agony
  5. anguish
  6. misery
  7. grief
  8. aw
Interjection
  • Highlights include a costume parade (for kids and parents), a Purim story and boo Haman and songs.
    — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024
  • Volunteer yourself to help with X, Y and Z accommodations if that lightens the family’s workload, without saying boo about the couple’s choices.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2024
Definition of boo
Noun
  • At the Santa Monica test location after the rains, the level of beryllium — a metal that is toxic to fish and corals and causes respiratory distress in humans — was more than 10 times the maximum limit allowed.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The result: Some doctors and hospitals have held back on treatments, waiting for the fetal heartbeat to stop or for patients to wind up in undeniable distress.
    — Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of distress
Noun
  • Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.
    — Bluesky Social, Bluesky Social, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The book, which spans the twenty-odd years of Mii’s life, describes the daily joys and intimacies of having a pet, the difficulties that come with an aging cat, and the sorrows of outliving one’s animal companion.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • With espresso especially, the right grinder can be the difference between ecstasy, agony, and simple defeat.
    — Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 1 Apr. 2025
  • According to the outlet, the agony caused Cornett to remove her name outside her dorm room, temporarily relocate to emergency housing, switch to online classes and continue to spend most of her time in her room.
    — David Chiu, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of agony
Noun
  • In the episode, Duran describes his mental anguish during that time and some of the steps he’s taken since then to improve his mental health.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • And all of that anguish of going through that process of retrying to develop my body in a way that will never be the same anyway.
    — Outside Online, Outside Online, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • Ultimately, what is likely driving the protests is that these Palestinians are exhausted from the sheer misery Hamas has brought upon them.
    — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Despite on-ice misery, the Flyers have packed at least 18,000 fans for every game during their last two homestands.
    — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of misery
Noun
  • But grief and a hunger for justice will do that to a man, especially one with the wired intensity of Rami Malek.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025
  • This sends Charlie down a rabbit hole of indescribable grief.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of grief
Interjection
  • Studies of fathers have generated some alarmist headlines over the years, and Hrdy has kindly collated them: no dad joke: fatherhood shrinks the brain; aw, nuts!
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
  • And then … aw, just cue up the video player for the epic Francisco Lindor homer that won this thing!
    — Jayson Stark, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of aw

Browse Nearby Words

wobbly
woe
woebegone
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Cite this Entry

“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/woe. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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