Sorrowfully Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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sorrowfully

[หˆsษ’rษ™สŠfสŠli ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adverb

expressing sadness or grief

In a sorrowful manner; feeling or showing sadness or grief.

Synonyms

grief-stricken, mournfully, sadly.

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Word Description / Examples
sorrowfully

Use when expressing sadness or regret, usually in a somewhat sincere or heartfelt manner.

  • She looked at the empty chair sorrowfully, remembering the times they spent together
sadly

Use to express a general sense of unhappiness or disappointment, applicable in both serious and minor matters.

  • Sadly, the picnic was canceled due to rain
mournfully

Use when showing deep sadness, often in a more subdued or solemn way, typically related to mourning or lamenting a loss.

  • The old man sat mournfully by the graveside, whispering to himself
grief-stricken

Use to describe someone who is deeply affected by extreme sorrow or loss, often following a significant event like a death.

  • He was grief-stricken after hearing about the passing of his best friend

Examples of usage

  • She looked at him sorrowfully, knowing that he would soon be leaving.
  • He spoke sorrowfully of the loss of his beloved pet.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Psychology

  • Expressing feelings sorrowfully can lead to emotional healing, as acknowledging sadness helps in processing grief.
  • Research shows that actively talking about your sorrows can alleviate feelings of isolation and enhance social connections.

Literature

  • In classic literature, characters often act sorrowfully to convey their deepest emotional struggles, such as in Shakespeareโ€™s tragedies.
  • The depiction of sorrow in poetry often uses vivid imagery to convey the depth of emotions, highlighting the beauty and pain of human experience.

Cultural Practices

  • Many cultures have specific rituals or practices that deal with sorrow, such as wearing black during mourning periods.
  • Art therapy, which uses creative expression to communicate sorrowful feelings, is recognized in many cultures as a way to heal from grief.

Music

  • Many sad songs evoke feelings of sorrow, often connecting personal experiences of loss to universal themes of heartbreak.
  • Sorrowful music, like blues, explores themes of sadness and often reflects the struggles faced during challenging life events.

Origin of 'sorrowfully'

Main points about word origin

  • The word comes from 'sorrow,' which has Old English roots meaning 'sadness' or 'grief.'
  • It combines 'sorrow' with the adverbial suffix '-fully,' indicating the manner of feeling intense sadness.

The word 'sorrowfully' is derived from the noun 'sorrow', which comes from the Old English 'sorg', meaning 'grief, regret, trouble'. The suffix '-fully' is added to form the adverb, indicating the manner in which something is done. The concept of sorrow has been present in human emotions since ancient times, as people have always experienced feelings of sadness and grief in response to loss or hardship.


See also: sorrow, sorrowful, sorrowfulness, sorrowing.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,268, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.