Sad: meaning, definitions and examples

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sad

[ sæd ]

Adjective / Noun

Oxford 3000

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

feeling

Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy.

Synonyms

melancholic, mournful, sorrowful, unhappy.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
sad	General emotion of unhappiness or disappointment. She felt sad after hearing the bad news
unhappy	Feeling discontent, generally due to a particular situation or broader circumstances. He has been very unhappy since he lost his job
sorrowful	Intense feeling of grief or remorse, often due to significant personal loss or regret. She gave him a sorrowful look after hearing the news of his departure
mournful	Expressing or feeling deep sorrow, often associated with mourning a loss. The mournful music played at the funeral moved everyone to tears
melancholic	A deep and wistful or pensive sadness that is often reflective and prolonged. He had a melancholic expression as he looked at the old photographs

Examples of usage

I feel sad because I miss my family.
She had a sad expression on her face.
His sad eyes revealed his inner turmoil.
The movie had a sad ending.
The news of the accident left everyone feeling sad.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

emotion

A feeling of sorrow; unhappiness.

Synonyms

despair, grief, melancholy, sorrow.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
sad	Universal term for feeling unhappy or down, used in everyday conversations. She felt sad when she heard the bad news He had a sad look on his face
sorrow	Intense feeling of sadness or regret, can be a response to both personal loss and broader issues. She felt deep sorrow when her pet died His speech was filled with sorrow for the suffering of others
grief	Deep sorrow, usually in response to a significant loss or death; often intense and enduring. She was overwhelmed with grief after the passing of her friend His grief was evident as he spoke about the loss of his mother
melancholy	A deep, gentle sadness, often reflective and sometimes poetic; tends to be more prolonged and can have a nostalgic quality. There was a melancholy atmosphere at the reunion, as old memories surfaced The novel has a melancholy tone
despair	Extreme feeling of hopelessness, often used to describe a situation where one feels there is no way out. In the face of overwhelming challenges, he was filled with despair She cried in despair as the situation seemed impossible

Examples of usage

I couldn't shake off the feeling of sadness.
He was overwhelmed by a wave of sadness.
She tried to hide her sadness with a smile.
The sadness in his voice was palpable.
The sadness in her eyes was heart-wrenching.

Translations

Translations of the word "sad" in other languages:

🇵🇹 triste

🇮🇳 उदास

🇩🇪 traurig

🇮🇩 sedih

🇺🇦 сумний

🇵🇱 smutny

🇯🇵 悲しい (kanashii)

🇫🇷 triste

🇪🇸 triste

🇹🇷 üzgün

🇰🇷 슬픈 (seulpeun)

🇸🇦 حزين (hazein)

🇨🇿 smutný

🇸🇰 smutný

🇨🇳 悲伤 (bēishāng)

🇸🇮 žalosten

🇮🇸 sorgmæddur

🇰🇿 қайғылы

🇬🇪 მოწყენილი (motskenili)

🇦🇿 kədərli

🇲🇽 triste (іспанська)

Etymology

The word 'sad' originated from the Old English word 'sæd', which means weary or sated. Over time, its meaning evolved to convey a sense of sorrow or unhappiness. The concept of sadness has been a universal human experience throughout history, often associated with loss, disappointment, or loneliness. Expressions of sadness can be found in literature, art, music, and psychology, reflecting the complex nature of human emotions.

See also: sadden, saddened, sadder, sadism, sadist, sadly, sadness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,689, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.

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3686 crude
3687 stepped
3688 defeat
3689 sad
3690 bore
3691 threw
3692 restored
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