sorely
Americanadverb
-
in a painful manner.
-
extremely; very.
I was sorely tempted to report him.
adverb
-
painfully or grievously
sorely wounded
-
pressingly or greatly
to be sorely taxed
he will be sorely missed
Etymology
Origin of sorely
before 900; Middle English sarely, soreli, Old English sārlīce; see sore, -ly
Explanation
When something happens or is felt sorely, it occurs in an intense way. If you sorely miss your best friend after he moves to Hong Kong, you miss him a whole lot. You can say that assistance is sorely needed if your car breaks down by the side of the road, and if your grandparents' old farm house is starting to sag and lean to one side after years of not being cared for, you can describe it as sorely neglected. The adverb sorely is a bit old fashioned, but it's great for emphasizing the large degree to which something is true.
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.
After a seven-year closure, this vibrant hub for black art—whose pioneering artist-in-residence program has yielded some of the most important creators of the past three decades—had been sorely missed.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
The bigger issue is that investors who stuck with staples, foregoing bigger gains in hopes they would provide a smoother ride, have been sorely mistaken.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
A response was sorely needed and the Newcastle head coach attempted to jolt his side by wielding the axe.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
“We will sorely miss his presence at Long Beach and racetracks everywhere.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
Hirohito shook his head, sorely disappointed, like he was Papa.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions 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.
