sorrow

[sor-oh, sawr-oh]

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.

verb (used without object)

1. to feel sorrow; grieve.

   Synonyms: lament, mourn

sorrow

/ 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

verb

1. (intr) to mourn or grieve

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorrow¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorrow¹

Old English sorg; related to Old Norse sorg, Gothic saurga, Old High German sworga

Idioms and Phrases

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

This year, however, she and other counselors detected acute emotional reactions: anxiety, sorrow and fear after a summer of intensified immigration raids.

From Los Angeles Times

"Even in this valley of deepest sorrow, we have been upheld by extraordinary courage and kindness from so many."

From BBC

As they wait to see whether and when the National Guard will arrive, city residents this week reacted with a mixture of rage, bafflement and sorrow.

From Los Angeles Times

But it is the collective cool, rage, outrage, toxic masculinity, hatefulness and terrible, terrible sorrow of the large splendid that makes the production matter.

From Los Angeles Times

Witnessing Raye's experiences in the industry – both the successes and the sorrows - ultimately stopped Amma from pursuing music "for a really long time".

From BBC

Related Words

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