sadness
- 01 A2 Elementary
the feeling of being unhappy or sorry, often because something bad has happened.
the emotional state of unhappiness, grief, or sorrow. Uncountable in this abstract sense.
Simple“A wave of sadness came over her as she looked at the old family photos.”
In context“The profound sadness she felt after the move was tempered by the excitement of starting a new chapter in a different city.”
UsageOften used with the prepositions 'at' or 'about' to indicate the cause.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a specific event or situation that causes you to feel unhappy.
a specific instance, event, or circumstance that elicits sorrow. Countable in this usage.
Simple“It was a great sadness that they never got to say goodbye to their friend.”
In context“The closing of the local library was a great sadness for the elderly residents who relied on it for social connection.”
UsageCommonly used in the construction 'it is a sadness that...' or 'one of the sadnesses of life'.
Synonyms
From Middle English sadnesse, equivalent to sad + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.