sadly
- 01 A2 Elementary
you use this to say that something is a pity or that you are sorry about a situation.
used as a sentence adverb to express regret or to indicate that a situation is unfortunate.
Simple“Sadly, we don't have enough money to go on holiday this year.”
In context“Sadly, the historic theatre was demolished before the local council could secure the funding necessary for its restoration.”
UsageOften placed at the beginning of a sentence to modify the entire statement.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
in a way that shows you are feeling unhappy or sorrowful.
in a sorrowful or mournful manner; expressing grief or unhappiness through one's actions or voice.
Simple“He looked sadly at the old photos of his childhood home.”
In context“The child looked sadly at his broken toy, realizing that it was far beyond any simple repair.”
SynonymssorrowfullyunhappilymournfullyAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
in a way that is very bad or disappointing.
in a manner that is regrettable, deplorable, or of very poor quality.
Simple“The team was sadly lacking in experience compared to their opponents.”
In context“The original safety report was sadly neglected by the management, leading to several avoidable accidents in the following months.”
Antonyms
From Middle English sadly; equivalent to sad + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.