adjective
-
expressing or characterized by sorrow
-
bringing or causing woe
-
pitiful; miserable
a woeful standard of work
Other Word Forms
- unwoeful adjective
- unwoefulness noun
- woefully adverb
- woefulness noun
Etymology
Origin of woeful
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.
France kept alive their Grand Slam hopes with a convincing eight-try 54-12 hammering of woeful Wales who suffered a 13th successive Six Nations defeat.
From BBC
Stokes is back in England following a woeful Ashes tour, which ended with a 4-1 series loss to Australia.
From Barron's
Sesko's fifth goal in his last six games maintained his recent improvement after a woeful start to his first season at United following his move from Leipzig.
From Barron's
After a woeful 6-21 start to the season, they went on a tear to join the Western Conference contenders.
From Los Angeles Times
Once written off as a flameout, the former No. 3 pick of the woeful New York Jets made history Sunday, becoming the first USC quarterback to reach the Super Bowl as an NFL starter.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
