saddened

5 synonyms and 3 antonyms for saddened, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Made unhappy by something that has happened, especially bad news.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

upset

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

distressed

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

sorrowful grieved dismayed

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Made unhappy by something that has happened, especially bad news.

“We were deeply saddened to hear of his death.”

upset distressed sorrowful grieved dismayed

Opposites

delighted cheered gladdened

2. verb

Past tense and past participle of sadden: to have made someone unhappy.

“The state of the old house saddened him.”

upset dismayed grieved

How to use saddened

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

deeply saddened saddened to hear saddened by the news

Somewhat formal; the standard register of condolences and official statements.

Etymology

From sadden, formed from sad plus the verb-making suffix -en; sad comes from Old English saed "sated, weary".

Full origin of saddened →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between saddened and sad?

Sad describes a state, whatever its cause. Saddened points to a cause: something happened and it made you sad. That is why announcements say "we were saddened to learn" rather than "we were sad to learn".

Is "deeply saddened" too formal for a condolence message?

It is formal, and it is the standard wording for public statements and company announcements. In a private message to a close friend, plainer wording such as "I'm so sorry" usually reads as warmer and more genuine.

People also searched

upset delighted distressed grieved sorrowful dismayed

Nearby words

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