Definitions

woeful

[woh-fuhl] / ˈwoʊ fəl /

ADJECTIVE

terrible, sad

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling awful calamitous deplorable disappointing disastrous dreadful feeble grim lamentable lousy miserable paltry pathetic pitiful shocking sorry wretched

WEAK

afflicted agonized anguished bad catastrophic cruel disconsolate disgraceful distressing doleful gloomy grieving grievous heartbreaking heartrending heartsick hopeless inadequate mean mournful piteous pitiable plaintive poor racked rotten sorrowful tortured tragic unfortunate unhappy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blessed cheerful comforting encouraging excellent fortunate good happy hopeful joyful lucky nice pleasing rich satisfactory wealthy wonderful worthwhile

WEAK

glad

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.

Mike Trout presumably has witnessed every possible blooper, blunder and boo-boo in 16 seasons with the woeful Angels.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Despite the absences, Liverpool would have been aware of the task against Carrick's resurgent outfit and had all week to prepare, yet still delivered a woeful first-half performance.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Hungary’s economy has barely grown in recent years, with a woeful 0.4% in real gross domestic product growth last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Covered for the ignominy of his historically woeful four-for-51 hitting performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Breashears and company hustled him down the glacier at such a fast pace that in my own woeful state, I could barely keep up with them.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Vocabulary lists containing woeful

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Novel Study: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Chapters 1–6

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The Door in the Wall

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!