dolesome

adjective

ˈdōl-səm How to pronounce dolesome (audio)
Definition of dolesomenext
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning the dolesome sound of a lone harmonica arising from the darkened encampment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dolesome
  1. weeping
  2. mournful
  3. funeral
  4. heartbroken
  5. bitter
  6. wailing
  7. sad
  8. sorry
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part docuseries, out October 27 on Netflix, is more of a celebration of celebrate Perry’s life instead of a mournful tribute or true crime drama about his death and the headline-making trial that followed.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2026
  • East Suffolk, a windblown span of marshy coastland, has a reputation for stark, mournful beauty, and for drawing creative people with a taste for isolation and escape.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • The broadcaster reported that more than a hundred people had gathered in and around the church for a funeral procession.
    — Mohamad El Chamaa, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Talking about wills, medical wishes, funeral arrangements or who will handle the finances if a parent becomes incapacitated can feel intrusive, particularly when a parent is still healthy and independent.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of funeral
Adjective
  • The woman never brought Melissa back, leaving a heartbroken Apantenco wondering what had become of her baby.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mike Sweeney’s tutor Royals Hall of Famer Mike Sweeney was heartbroken to learn of Benzinger’s passing.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • The classmate, Joleene Altum, sued Griffin for emotional distress and invasion of privacy, and Griffin countersued for defamation in a bitter, ongoing legal battle.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The episode was a bitter lesson for the group, resulting in resentment and division.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitter
Adjective
  • Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of wailing
Adjective
  • State Drive, an ugly black roadway, separates the Science Center and its new addition from the park’s Rose Garden, and serves as a sad connector to the rest of the park.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • As more details came out, the sad truth of Perry’s relapses and drug hustle emerged.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • True, but there are other issues that rubbed me the wrong way (sorry).
    — Valerie Monroe, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The decline of Capra, in the wake of the Second World War, was a sorry spectacle.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of sorry
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

doles
dolesome
doles out
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Cite this Entry

“Dolesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolesome. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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