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.
In a statement after his death, his family said Darke would be "sorely missed by all who knew and loved him".
From BBC • May 7, 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
The Mac Mini was sorely in need of an update, and John Ternus hoped he didn’t need to go through design guru Jony Ive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
“We will sorely miss his presence at Long Beach and racetracks everywhere.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
Life at Rose Hill is much the same as when you were here, although I must admit that we all sorely miss your sunny disposition....
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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.
