adj
woeful
WOH-fuhl
Woeful (adj) means Full of sorrow or distress. Example: “She wore a woeful expression as she read the letter.”
adj
1
Full of sorrow or distress.
"She wore a woeful expression as she read the letter."
2
Extremely poor or inadequate.
"The team put in a woeful performance, losing five-nil."
How to use woeful
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither genuinely sorrowful, or (more commonly today) shockingly bad or inadequate.
Common pairings
woeful performance
woeful lack of
a woeful state
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Word forms
- Comparative
- woefuller
- Superlative
- woefullest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She wore a _____ expression as she read the letter.
Etymology
From Middle English woful, formed from woe plus -ful.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for woeful
See all rhymes for woeful →Frequently asked questions
What does “woeful” mean?
The word “woeful” means full of sorrow or distress. In plain terms, either genuinely sorrowful, or (more commonly today) shockingly bad or inadequate.
How do you pronounce “woeful”?
“Woeful” is pronounced WOH-fuhl (/ˈwəʊfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “woeful” in a sentence?
Here is “woeful” used in a sentence: “She wore a woeful expression as she read the letter.”
What part of speech is “woeful”?
“Woeful” is an adjective.
Where does the word “woeful” come from?
The word “woeful” comes from Middle English. From Middle English woful, formed from woe plus -ful.
How many meanings does “woeful” have?
“Woeful” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: full of sorrow or distress.
