sorrow.

A feeling of sadness arising from loss, misfortune, or disappointment.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• deep sorrow
• shared sorrow
• express sorrow

On the page

Sorrow softened her anger when she saw his empty room.

He spoke of the old house with affection and sorrow.

They shared their sorrows only after the visitors had left.

Usage notes

Primary category: gothic. Broader than grief and not necessarily extreme; can coexist with affection or acceptance. Intensity ranges from mild sadness to deep distress; the noun alone does not specify its degree. Uncountable generally; plural sorrows for particular troubles. Also a verb, to feel sadness. Separate verb forms: sorrow, sorrows, sorrowed, sorrowing.