doleful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With his doleful singing voice and a prolific work rate, he's transformed the sound of música urbana, combining elements of trap, hip-hop and R&B with the traditional sounds of Latin pop.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

When no one is around, the doleful ex-judge listens to Italian gangsta rap, and sometimes even raps along with it, suggesting he isn’t quite the stereotype others assume him to be.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Set in the high-rises of the Cabrini-Green housing project in 1992, when the beleaguered complex’s decline was palpable, it sounds like a recipe for doleful poverty-gazing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2024

In a sign of the strength of the “Barbie” soundtrack, the winner’s stiffest Oscars competition may have been another song from the film, “I’m Just Ken,” Ryan Gosling’s doleful lamentation.

From New York Times • Mar. 10, 2024

In June 1940, when she went on a long-awaited trip to Mexico, William’s letters were doleful but discreet.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield