widowed
Americanadjective
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of widowed
Explanation
If you know someone whose husband or wife has died, you can describe that person as widowed. The widowed lady next door may have lost her husband many years ago. A man whose spouse has died is typically called a widower, while a woman is a widow. Both men and women can be described with the adjective widowed if their partners are no longer alive. These words come from a root that's shared by the Sanskrit vidhuh, which means "lonely or solitary," and the Latin viduus, "bereft or void."
Vocabulary lists containing widowed
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to AARP, financial experts know that retirees like yourself, especially if they’re single or widowed, like a free meal, and they are catnip for presentations on annuities and other products.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
I’m 68, widowed and retired from a career in municipal government.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
At the funeral, alongside Prince William, will be the widowed Queen Sonja, members of the Norwegian royal family including new King Haakon VIII, and other European royals.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Cecily Craig, 71, lives a short walk away from her centenarian widowed mother at Park Pointe Village in Rock Hill, S.C., each in their own apartment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
“It provided for my family. My mother was widowed at forty-six. Every month, I was able to send her a good check.”
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
