sorrow

American  

[sor-oh, sawr-oh] / ˈsɒr oʊ, ˈsɔr oʊ /

noun

1. distress caused by loss, affliction, disappointment, etc.; grief, sadness, or regret.

2. a cause or occasion of grief or regret, as an affliction, a misfortune, or trouble.

   His first sorrow was the bank failure.

   Synonyms:

   adversity

3. the expression of grief, sadness, disappointment, or the like.

   muffled sorrow.

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verb (used without object)

1. to feel sorrow; grieve.

   Synonyms:

   lament, mourn

sorrow British  

/ ˈsɒrəʊ /

noun

1. the characteristic feeling of sadness, grief, or regret associated with loss, bereavement, sympathy for another's suffering, for an injury done, etc

2. a particular cause or source of regret, grief, etc

3. Also called: sorrowing.  the outward expression of grief or sadness

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verb

1. (intr) to mourn or grieve

sorrow Idioms  

1. see drown one's sorrows; more in sorrow than in anger.

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Related Words

Sorrow, distress, grief, misery, woe imply bitter suffering, especially as caused by loss or misfortune. Sorrow is the most general term. Grief is keen suffering, especially for a particular reason. Distress implies anxiety, anguish, or acute suffering caused by the pressure of trouble or adversity. Misery suggests such great and unremitting pain or wretchedness of body or mind as crushes the spirit. Woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

Other Word Forms

• sorrower noun
• sorrowful adjective
• sorrowfully adverb
• sorrowfulness noun
• sorrowless adjective
• unsorrowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of sorrow

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English sorg; cognate with German Sorge, Dutch zorg, Old Norse sorg, Gothic saurga; (verb) Middle English sorwen, Old English sorgian; cognate with Old High German sorgôn

Explanation

Sorrow is a feeling of immense sadness, like the sorrow you would feel if your best friend suddenly moved across the country. Sorrow is an almost unbearable sadness. In fact, it is often used as a synonym for grief. If you drop a pretty picture frame and it breaks, you might feel sad. If, on the other hand, your entire house — including that picture frame — burns to the ground, you will feel sorrow at the loss of everything, including the photographs and other mementos you can never replace.

Example Sentences

Yet other institutions, having failed and become sources of endless sorrow, live on, decade after decade, immune from criticism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

And the announced crowd of 18,145 at Crypto.com Arena made sure he knew that parting is such sweet sorrow, standing and cheering long after the game had ended.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had called Cardinal Pizzaballa to express his "great sorrow" over the "unfortunate incident".

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed "deep sorrow" over the disaster.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Just air going into me, and a heavy wind full of sorrow coming out.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• agony
• anguish
• hardship
• heartache
• heartbreak
• melancholy
• misery
• mourning
• pain
• regret
• remorse
• repentance
• sadness
• suffering
• unhappiness
• worry