1 doleful | Definition of doleful

doleful

adjective
dole·​ful | \ ˈdōl-fəl How to pronounce doleful (audio) \

Definition of doleful

1 : causing grief or affliction a doleful loss
2 : full of grief : cheerless a doleful face
3 : expressing grief : sad a doleful melody

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Other Words from doleful

dolefully \ ˈdōl-​fə-​lē How to pronounce dolefully (audio) \ adverb
dolefulness noun

Examples of doleful in a Sentence

The girl had a doleful look on her face. You sounded so doleful about your future that night.

Recent Examples on the Web

The repeating beat and words provided a doleful soundtrack for the encampment, where pain came from a life marked by trauma and disregard. Los Angeles Times, "Broadway Place’s homeless residents were promised homes. Had the city forgotten them?," 15 Aug. 2019 There's more sadness to Kapadia's film than anticipated, and Maradona is on hand to comment on what was going on behind his younger self's often doleful expression. Thomas Page, CNN, "Sex, drugs and soccer: Diego Maradona film shines light on Napoli years," 12 June 2019 These movies extend his doleful comedies across decades, cultures and nations, putting his words in the mouths of Australian ranchers, Japanese schoolgirls, French auteurs and jobbing New York actors. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, "‘The Seagull’ Brings Chekhov’s Doleful Comedy to Cinemas," 4 May 2018 The doleful arias, bickering duets and mocking trios are delivered at a relatively brisk tempo — a wise strategy for a work in which the small talk is circular, the gags repetitive and the grievances rehashed ad nauseam. Charles Mcnulty, latimes.com, "A revelatory Denzel Washington in 'The Iceman Cometh'," 10 May 2018 The doleful voice of the late singer and poet Leonard Cohen issued from one of maybe 30 speakers piled on the instrument and arrayed about the room. Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, "In the key of Leonard Cohen: ‘Poetry Machine’ brings late singer’s works to life," 4 May 2018 The production included a coyly doleful sub-Chaplin clown figure who put on a red nose now and then, but that was about as vulnerable as the show got. Alastair Macaulay, New York Times, "At Flamenco Festival, Finding the Force Beneath the Glitz," 12 Mar. 2018 The music favors doleful minor keys and skeletal harmonies. Jon Pareles, New York Times, "Pop Music in 2017: Glum and Glummer," 22 Dec. 2017 For the low, low price of hours of agonizing car rides and long anxious waiting in the lobbies of veterinary clinics while doleful barks and terrified meows filter through the halls, here’s six more months. S.e. Smith, Longreads, "How Much is Too Much to Save a Dying Cat?," 2 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'doleful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of doleful

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for doleful

see dole entry 1

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More Definitions for doleful

doleful

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of doleful

: very sad

doleful

adjective
dole·​ful | \ ˈdōl-fəl How to pronounce doleful (audio) \

Kids Definition of doleful

: very sad a doleful day

Other Words from doleful

dolefully \ -​fə-​lē \ adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on doleful

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with doleful

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for doleful

Spanish Central: Translation of doleful

Nglish: Translation of doleful for Spanish Speakers