sadly

adverb

ˈsad-lē How to pronounce sadly (audio)
Definition of sadlynext
as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief sadly she told us how her dog died

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sadly While sadly, Romero’s original 130-minute cut of the film has been lost, parts of it have been recovered and restored, expanding the 89-minute original release to 104 minutes. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 11 Oct. 2026 Residential floor plans in 2026 are sadly lacking in laundry chutes, milk doors and dumbwaiters, but innovations in home efficiency continue to evolve. — Jenny Singer, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026 Obviously, sadly, there have been a couple of deaths on the way. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 Swift’s hubby Travis Kelce, however, was sadly absent from the show, as the NFL star had a Chiefs game against the Miami Dolphins in Florida today. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sadly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadly
  1. bitterly
  2. sorrowfully
  3. painfully
  4. regretfully
  5. mournfully
  6. hard
Adverb
  • The race is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country's history.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The race was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s nearly unbroken 17-year rule, which had left Israelis bitterly divided on a host of issues even before the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
    — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterly
Adverb
  • Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
Definition of sorrowfully
Adverb
  • For residents, the reservoir nonetheless remains a painfully visible symbol of the city’s shortcomings.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But the editorial process was painfully slow, and the business model was doomed by the dot-com crash.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of painfully
Adverb
  • Their reports explained regretfully that the confrontation had prevented two officers from receiving awards for shooting burglars.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Issa bitterly but regretfully prepares for the inevitable showdown.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of regretfully
Adverb
  • Fra Fee, as Joe, has a slightly harder task, since his role is almost entirely reactive; while Ethan bangs on mournfully about, effectively, the dangers of shagging your brother’s wife — well, who would have thought?
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Mayfield watched mournfully in his kitchen while the rest of the family sat in the living room with the big screen next to a Christmas tree.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Definition of mournfully
Adverb
  • With nearly 60 murders per day, South Africa has one of the world's highest crime rates, and several of Cape Town's townships are among the areas hardest hit by violent crime.
    — Julie Bourdin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Eisenkot believes Netanyahu has purposefully made that process harder.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

sadistic
sadly
sadness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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