Sorrowful
adjective /ˈsɒrəʊfʊl/ — Feeling or expressing sorrow — bearing sorrow with a particular visible quality.
Definition
Feeling or showing grief; full of sorrow; causing grief or sadness.
Beyond the definition
Sorrowful is sorrow made visible — the expression and the quality of the person bearing it. It is a word that names both the internal state and what it looks like. A sorrowful face is one that doesn't hide its weight.
Origin & history
From sorrow + -ful. The full-of-sorrow quality — an Old English compound structure that is both description and diagnosis.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her expression was sorrowful in a way that made the news unnecessary — you could see it already.
He spoke in a sorrowful tone that suggested the difficulty had not just passed but changed him.
The sorrowful are sometimes the most alive — they feel the world's particular weight with precision.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Sorrowful” when the meaning fits your context: Feeling or showing grief; full of sorrow; causing grief or sadness.
Synonyms
mournful, grief-stricken, sad, doleful, woeful
Antonyms
joyful, elated, jubilant
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Reflective and Somber Mood
An adult sits in a quiet, dark room looking toward an empty chair, their posture suggesting deep reflection and sadness.
The adult’s posture and the somber room create a sorrowful mood, making the sense of grief tangible. The image captures the feeling of being full of sorrow, as the focus on the empty chair illustrates the cause of their sad, reflective state.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Sorrowful" mean?
Sorrowful is adjective meaning: Feeling or expressing sorrow — bearing sorrow with a particular visible quality.. Feeling or showing grief; full of sorrow; causing grief or sadness.
Where does the word "Sorrowful" come from?
From sorrow + -ful. The full-of-sorrow quality — an Old English compound structure that is both description and diagnosis.