Word
woeful
Phoneticswoe·ful, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwoʊfəɫ/
UK/wˈəʊfəl/
Definition
adj. very bad or disappointing. You use this to describe something that is of very low quality or makes you feel sad.
adj. characterised by expressive of, or causing sorrow or misery; also used to describe something of deplorably low quality.
Examples
“The team's performance was woeful and they lost the game.”
“The charity reported that the living conditions in the refugee camp were woeful, with little access to clean water.”
“The candidate's woeful lack of experience in foreign policy became a central theme of the opposition's campaign during the final weeks of the election.”
Examples
simple
“The team's performance was woeful and they lost the game.”
contextual
“The charity reported that the living conditions in the refugee camp were woeful, with little access to clean water.”
complex
“The candidate's woeful lack of experience in foreign policy became a central theme of the opposition's campaign during the final weeks of the election.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “woeful” in context.
Verb
01. appear woeful
“The company's financial results appear woeful compared to last year.”
verb + adj
02. bemoan woeful
“Critics continue to bemoan the woeful lack of investment in public transport.”
verb + adj
03. remain woeful
“Despite the new funding, safety standards at the factory remain woeful.”
verb + adj
04. remedy woeful
“Immediate action is required to remedy the woeful state of the school's facilities.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. truly woeful
“The team's performance in the second half was truly woeful.”
adv + adj
06. utterly woeful
“The service at the restaurant was utterly woeful despite the high prices.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. woeful ignorance
“He demonstrated a woeful ignorance of basic political facts.”
adj + noun
08. woeful inadequacy
“The report highlighted the woeful inadequacy of the current healthcare system.”
adj + noun
09. woeful lack
“There is a woeful lack of affordable housing in the city center.”
adj + noun
10. a woeful lack of
“The project failed due to a woeful lack of clear communication.”
11. be woefully inadequate
“The existing laws were found to be woefully inadequate to deal with cybercrime.”
12. in a woeful state
“The historic building was left in a woeful state of repair.”
Usage
Often used to intensify a negative noun, such as 'ignorance', 'neglect', or 'performance'.
Real-World Examples
“I'll just keep going and be ruthless."
Liverpool were woeful for much of the first half as they trailed Villarreal by two goals, but Ngumoha took responsibility and began to turn the tide.” “New York City passed a woeful milestone this week, spurred by an influx of migrants from the nation’s southern border: For the first time, there are now over 100,000 people in homeless shelters here, city officials said on Wednesday.” Etymology
From Middle English woful, also recorded as waful, the term is a compound of woe and the suffix -ful. The construction corresponds to the Old English wālīċ and tēonful, both signifying a state of woefulness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/woeful