alas

[ uh-las, uh-lahs ]

See synonyms for alas on Thesaurus.com

interjection

(used as an exclamation to express sorrow, grief, pity, concern, or apprehension of evil.)

Origin of alas

1225–75; Middle English <Old French (h)a las!, equivalent to (h)aah + las wretched <Latin lassus weary; cf. alack

Words Nearby alas

Other definitions for Alas. (2 of 2)

Alas.

abbreviation

Alaska.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use alas in a sentence

But self-doubt, while a healthy quality for human beings to have, is alas not a plus for politicians.
Mario Cuomo: An OK Governor, but a Far Better Person | Michael Tomasky | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
But alas, a snub is yet another of the many indignities Valerie Cherish shall endure.
15 Enraging Golden Globe TV Snubs and Surprises: Amy Poehler, 'Mad Men' & More | Kevin Fallon | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
alas, his soul is willing, but his flesh is weak and he whiffs.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone | Nick Gillespie | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
alas, there will be no buddy movie to capture the Abramson/McConnell rapport.
The McConnell Friend Obama Just Hired | Jonathan Miller | November 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
alas, neocons, civil liberties at home matter more than those abroad!
What Republicans Need Right Now Is a Good Internal Fight | James Poulos | November 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

“alas, mon bon Monsieur, it goes from bad to worse,” sighed the old man.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. Locke
From a sense of justice, I hastened to remunerate those who had been deprived of their coign of vantage, but, alas!
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James Wills
For we have, alas, no means of finding out what the quantity of labor is and how it can be measured.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen Leacock
And out of this thicket, alas, no two people ever emerge hand in hand in concord.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen Leacock
alas, its colour was other than the deep chestnut bronze of Georgie Haggard's.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for alas (1 of 2)

alas

/ (əˈlæs) /

sentence connector

unfortunately; regrettably: there were, alas, none left

interjection

an exclamation of grief, compassion, or alarm

Origin of alas

C13: from Old French ha las! oh wretched!; las from Latin lassus weary

British Dictionary definitions for Alas. (2 of 2)

Alas.

abbreviation for

Alaska

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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