Synonyms for Sad | Meaning, Uses & Examples
Synonyms for sad refer to words that have a similar definition, but speak to a specific connotation or emphasis.
Synonyms for sad include:
- unhappy
- depressed
- pathetic
For a full list of sad synonyms, try QuillBot’s free Paraphraser.
Definition of sad
Sad is an adjective used to describe feelings of sorrow, disappointment, or unhappiness.
In addition to expressing a specific emotional state, the word sad can also be used as an adjective with objects or situations that conjure these emotions.
Synonyms for sad
When it comes to defining the condition of being sad, it’s helpful to use synonyms. These related words can precisely pinpoint the specific type of sadness that you want to express.
That said, some synonyms for sad are stronger than others. For example, certain words like dismal and distraught capture the essence of sadness. Meanwhile, words like upset are more general, and their meanings depend on context.
Sad as in unhappy
When sad means unhappy, it refers to a negative emotion in which someone is feeling disappointed or distraught. It’s often used to name a relatively fleeting or temporary emotional state that’s not as deep or persistent as depression.
| Match | Synonym | Sad example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Unhappy | She felt sad that her plans fell through. | She felt unhappy that her plans fell through. |
| Disappointed | We were sad that the trip had to be cancelled. | We were disappointed that the trip had to be cancelled. | |
| Distraught | He was sad after losing his long-time companion. | He was distraught after losing his long-time companion. | |
| Dejected | She seemed sad when he broke up with her. | She seemed dejected when he broke up with her. | |
| Moderate | Blue | I’ve been feeling sad lately without a clear reason. | I’ve been feeling blue lately without a clear reason. |
| Weak | Low | The players were feeling sad after the defeat. | The players were feeling low after the defeat. |
| Upset | I was sad to hear the news. | I was upset to hear the news. |
Sad as in depressing
When something is described as depressing it refers to having the quality of making the describer feel depressed.
Being depressed is generally understood as a deeper and more persistent form of sadness than simply being unhappy about something.
| Match | Synonym | Sad example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Depressing | It was a sad story about a lifetime of lost opportunities. | It was a depressing story about a lifetime of opportunities. |
| Bleak | The movie had a sad outlook on the future. | The movie had a bleak outlook on the future. | |
| Dismal | The landscape looked sad and abandoned. | The landscape looked dismal and abandoned. | |
| Moderate | Gloomy | Her art has a sad tone that lingers. | Her art has a gloomy tone that lingers. |
| Somber | The novel left a sad impression on readers. | The novel left a somber impression on readers. | |
| Melancholy | The music felt sad in a soft way. | The music felt melancholy in a soft way. | |
| Weak | Grim | The prognosis is sad. | The prognosis is grim. |
Sad as in pathetic
When sad means pathetic, it describes something that is poor, contemptible, or inadequate. It has more to do with the quality or worth of something than an emotional experience like unhappy or depressing.
| Match | Synonym | Sad example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Pathetic | That was a sad attempt at an apology. | That was a pathetic attempt at an apology. |
| Pitiful | They offered a sad excuse for the delay. | They offered a pitiful excuse for the delay. | |
| Sorry | It was a sad excuse for a term paper. | It was a sorry excuse for a term paper. | |
| Strong | Miserable | The team gave a sad performance last night. | The team gave a miserable performance last night. |
| Woeful | They lived under sad conditions. | They lived under woeful conditions. | |
| Weak | Lame | Without any music, the party was pretty sad. | Without any music the party was pretty lame. |
Sadly synonym
Sadly is an adverb, which means it describes how an action is done. Synonyms for sadly include sorrowfully, glumly, and despondently.
| Match | Synonym | Sadly example | Synonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Sorrowfully | She shook her head sadly at the bad news. | She shook her head sorrowfully at the bad news. |
| Despondently | He spoke sadly about his failures. | He spoke despondently about his failures. | |
| Glumly | The children walked sadly back inside after recess ended. | The children walked glumly back inside after recess ended. | |
| Mournfully | The violin played sadly as the tragic scene unfolded. | The violin played mournfully as the tragic scene unfolded. | |
| Strong | Dolorously | She gazed sadly out the window. | She gazed dolorously out the window. |
| Moderate | Regretfully | He sadly admitted his mistakes. | He regretfully admitted his mistakes. |
| Unfortunately | Sadly, we have no spaces left in the program. | Unfortunately, we have no spaces left in the program. |
Sad antonyms
Antonyms for sad refer to words with the opposite meaning. These include terms like happy or cheerful.
| Match | Antonym | Sad example | Antonym example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongest | Happy | She felt sad about how things turned out. | She felt happy about how things turned out. |
| Cheerful | The children looked sad about their assignment. | The children looked cheerful about their assignment. | |
| Glad | He seemed sad when we spoke yesterday. | He seemed glad when we spoke yesterday. | |
| Strong | Pleased | We were sad about the results. | We were pleased about the results. |
| Moderate | Content | I was sad to postpone. | I was content to postpone. |
| Good | I’ve been feeling sad lately without a clear reason. | I’ve been feeling good lately without a clear reason. | |
| Weak | Fine | She said she was sad. | She said she was fine. |
Frequently asked questions about synonyms for sad
- What’s a synonym for sad in Spanish?
-
A synonym for sad in Spanish is triste.
Example:
- La chica estaba muy triste. (The girl was very sad.)
For more synonyms for sad feelings, try QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
- What’s a synonym for sad feelings?
-
Synonyms for sad feelings include melancholy, dejected, and despondent.
For more synonyms for sad feelings, try QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
- Which are synonyms for sad that start with f?
-
A synonym for sad that starts with f is forlorn.
For more synonyms for sad feelings, try QuillBot’s Paraphraser.
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Cichanowicz, L. (2025, December 09). Synonyms for Sad | Meaning, Uses & Examples. Quillbot. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from https://quillbot.com/blog/synonyms/sad-synonyms/
