sadden
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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saddens,
present (3rd person singular)
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saddened,
past participle, past
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saddening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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saddensimple
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saddenssimple
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have saddenedperfect
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has saddenedperfect
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am saddeningprogressive
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are saddeningprogressive
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is saddeningprogressive
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have been saddeningperfect progressive
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has been saddeningperfect progressive
Past
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saddenedsimple
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had saddenedperfect
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was saddeningprogressive
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were saddeningprogressive
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had been saddeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sadden
Explanation
To sadden is to make someone feel sad, or to become sad. The death of a beloved dog is likely to sadden the whole family. You can say that it saddens your friends when they see vulnerable people bullied or discriminated against. You can also say that your friends sadden you when they tell you about pollution that's causing animals to go extinct. Before the verb sadden came along in the 17th century, the verb meaning "to make sad" was sade, from an Old English root.
Vocabulary lists containing sadden
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.
See Examples For:
"I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me," the 82-year-old wrote on his Instagram account.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
Responding on Instagram, Iglesias said: "I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply sadden me."
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
And it does sadden me that we are never going to do that as a country, not formally.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2024
“Two things sadden me about this investigation,” Johnson said.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2023
"Tell me what they said to sadden the queen of my heart."
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Klitschko posted, external that the announcement of Panettiere's "tragic death saddens me deeply".
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
“It saddens me to see how much celebration there’s been—especially on a campus that advertises itself as a place where you should feel safe to be you.”
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2025
"The idea that they went out after important services, that they went out until late saddens me," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2025
News through her attorney, “It saddens me beyond belief that my husband’s character could be slandered in such a way.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2025
It saddens me to think of her pain upon finding out she cannot return home.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed,” a Bank of America spokesman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement responding to the spouses’ interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
After the fatal crash involving Tarling, the UCI put out a statement saying it was "deeply saddened, and extends its deepest condolences to Finlay's family, friends, and team-mates", but has not made further comment.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said she was "deeply shocked and saddened" and urged people to "remember there are real people with loved ones involved".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
She assured him that Joe made a wonderful, caring father and that Sophie Mol loved him dearly—facts that gladdened and saddened Chacko in equal measure.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
"It is a very saddening incident... Thank God the casualties were not higher."
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
As infuriating and saddening as this crime is, it is not a remark on all immigrants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025
"It’s saddening to hear about all the threats to their jobs," said college senior Nicole Droeger Stephens.
From Salon ● May 31, 2025
Nick Merriman, chief executive of English Heritage, said the vandalism was "deeply saddening".
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2024
Normally at this time of year, the Wood should be dotted with them, and the sight of this solitary blossom was almost as saddening as it was miraculous.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
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.
