ENGLISH
REFERENCE

woefully

adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈwoʊfəɫi// UK //wˈəʊfəli// woe·ful·ly

adv. in a way that shows you are very unhappy, worried, or not doing well. It can also describe something that is much too small or not enough for what you need.

adv. in a manner that expresses deep distress, regret, or a lack of adequacy. Often used to describe a state of being insufficient or inadequate for a specific purpose.


SIMPLE

The team performed woefully in the final match.

CONTEXTUAL

The charity is woefully underfunded and cannot provide enough food for the growing population.

COMPLEX

The government's response to the crisis was woefully inadequate, failing to address the immediate needs of the displaced families while the situation continued to deteriorate.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English wofully, equivalent to woeful + -ly.

© 2026 English Reference