We all know that sadness is an emotion no one enjoys experiencing, yet it remains an inevitable part of life. Despite its discomfort, it has the potential to teach us valuable lessons and help us grow stronger and wiser over time. Today, we’re diving into the topic of sadness—more specifically, exploring English vocabulary that can help you express it more effectively. Read on to discover more!

15 Shades of Sadness

Naturally, there are quite a few synonyms for the adjective “sad.” Let’s look at some of them and explore the nuances of meaning they carry.

1. Dejected 😔 – unhappy / disappointed: She looked so dejected when she lost the game.
2. Despondent 😔 /dɪˈspɑːndənt/ – sad / without much hope = dejected: She was becoming increasingly despondent about/over the way things were going.
3. Downcast 😔 – sad / depressed = despondent: A group of downcast men stood waiting for food.
4. Downhearted 😔 – sad / depressed = downcast: We’re disappointed by these results but we’re not downhearted.
5. Glum 😔 – sad, quiet: The couple looked distinctly glum.
6. Gloomy 😔 – sad, without hope: He mopes around all the time with that gloomy expression on his face.
7. Dismal 😔 /ˈdɪzməl/ – causing or showing sadness = gloomy: Christmas will be dismal without the children. The place mirrored his own dismal mood.
8. Wistful 😔 – ​thinking sadly about something that you would like to have, especially something in the past that you can no longer have: There was something rather wistful about the sad little tune.
9. Blue 😔 (informal) – sad, depressed: He’s been feeling blue all week.
10. Forlorn 😔 /fərˈlɔːrn/ – appearing unhappy and lonely: She looked so forlorn, standing there in the rain.
11. Sorrowful 😢 (literary) – very sad: She felt sorrowful as she watched her childhood home being torn down.
12. Mournful 😢 – very sad: I couldn’t bear the mournful look on her face.
13. Melancholy 😢 /ˈmelənkɑːli/ (literary) – very sad / making you feel very sad = mournful: The melancholy song died away. I am very melancholy today.
14. Somber 😢 – sad and serious: Paul was in a somber mood.
15. Inconsolable 😭 /ˌɪnkənˈsəʊləbl/ – very sad, unable to accept help or comfort: They were inconsolable when their only child died.

Practice 1

Exercise 1. Click the link here and solve the word grid to find all the adjectives from the list above.

Exercise 2. Click the link here and type in the right adjective to complete the sentences. Some letters or parts of the word are given.

Idioms

Idiom	Meaning	Example
to have a heavy heart	to be very sad	After hearing the news of her friend’s passing, she had a heavy heart and struggled to find the right words.
down in the dumps	unhappy, depressed	He’s been down in the dumps since his girlfriend left him.
down in the mouth	down in the dumps	James was down in the mouth after hearing that he didn’t get the job he had hoped for.
in the doldrums /ˈdəʊldrəmz/	down in the mouth	After losing his job, he was feeling in the doldrums and struggled to find the motivation to move forward.
to cry on someone’s shoulder	to seek comfort or support from someone during a time of sadness or grief	After the breakup, she needed someone to talk to, so she went to her best friend to cry on her shoulder and let out all her feelings.
to cry one’s heart out	to cry intensely and for a long period of time	After hearing the devastating news, he went home and cried his heart out, unable to control his emotions.
to wear a long face	to look visibly sad/disappointed	She was wearing a long face after hearing the bad news about the promotion.
in a funk	to be in a gloomy, depressed, or low-energy state	Kimberly has been in a funk ever since the breakup.
in the pits	feeling extremely low or in a terrible situation	After losing his job, Mark felt like he was really in the pits.
blue around the edges	feeling mildly sad or melancholic	I’m okay, just a little blue around the edges today.
to have a face like a wet weekend (British English)	to look miserable	James turned up to the party with a face like a wet weekend — clearly not in the mood to celebrate.
a sad sack	a person who is always miserable or pathetic, often in a comical or pitiful way	After failing his third driving test, he just sat on the curb like a sad sack, staring at the ground.
to feel like the world is caving in	to feel overwhelmed by sadness or despair	When he got the news, he felt like the world was caving in.
a cloud hanging over one’s head	a feeling of doom, sadness, or worry that lingers	Ever since the diagnosis, there’s been a cloud hanging over his head.
to cry over spilled milk	to be upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed	Yes, the cake is ruined, but let’s not cry over spilled milk.

Practice 2

Alright, let’s practice the idioms from the table above. Click the link here and type in the correct word to complete the sentences.

Did you enjoy the article and find it useful? Feel free to practice the vocabulary further by leaving comments below using some of the words and expressions you found new and would like to incorporate into your daily speech. And of course, don’t forget to try to use the words and idioms whenever the opportunity arises. Refer to this article whenever you need a refresher, and of course, it applies to all the rest of our content on vocabulary. Good luck!