# sorrowful

/ˈsɑɹoʊfəɫ/ (US) · /sˈɒɹəʊfəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sorrowful
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. feeling or showing sadness

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

feeling or showing great sadness, often in a quiet or serious way.

For teachers: exhibiting or expressing deep sorrow, grief, or regret. Often used to describe a person's facial expression, voice, or general demeanour.

- She gave him a sorrowful look as he prepared to leave for the airport.
- The widow stood by the window with a sorrowful expression, watching the rain wash away the footprints in the garden.

Usage: Commonly modifies nouns related to expression, such as 'look', 'eyes', 'voice', or 'smile'.

### 2. causing sadness

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal · Literary

causing you to feel deep sadness or grief.

For teachers: inducing or characterized by sorrow; distressing or tragic in nature.

- It was a sorrowful day for the whole town when the old library burned down.
- The historian recounted the sorrowful events that led to the collapse of the peace treaty and the subsequent conflict.

Teaching tip: While 'sad' is the everyday choice, 'sorrowful' adds a layer of weight and formality, often implying a long-lasting or profound grief.

## Examples

- The children wore sorrowful faces at the funeral.
- The choir sang a sorrowful song to honor the memory of the fallen soldiers.
- The novel's protagonist is a sorrowful figure, haunted by a series of personal tragedies that have left him emotionally isolated from the rest of the world.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.