Dolefulness — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈdōl-fəl/ dole·ful

Meaning & Definition of Dolefulness

Dolefulness (adjective)

  1. full of grief, cheerless
  2. expressing grief, sad
  3. causing grief or affliction

Dolefulness (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state or spell of low spirits

    "with the resigned dolefulness of an athlete who knows his playing days are over, he cleared out his locker for the last time"

    similar: blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness
    related: melancholia, self-pity, anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness, agony, distress, pain, misery, woe, wretchedness, discouragement, disheartenment, moodiness, despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair, boredom, ennui, tedium, dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity, regret, rue
    opposite: bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness
    near: gaiety, gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness, content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction, delight, gratification

  2. deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved

    "a period of dolefulness that seemed to last forever for the widower"

    similar: affliction, anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, sorriness, sorrow, woe
    related: agony, distress, pain, suffering, torment, blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolateness, desolation, despair, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, misery, mopes, oppression, sorrowfulness, unhappiness, woefulness, wretchedness, contrition, guilt, regret, remorse, rue, self-reproach, shame, melancholia, self-pity
    opposite: blessedness, bliss, blissfulness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, delight, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, glee, gleefulness, happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, pleasure, rapture, rapturousness
    near: gaiety, gayness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, merrymaking, mirth, mirthfulness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness, enjoyment, content, contentedness, contentment

Related Entry: Doleful (adjective)

Doleful is a different word from Dolefulness. The synonyms below are for doleful, not for dolefulness.

  1. expressing or suggesting mourning

    "a doleful expression on their faces as they said good-bye to the friends they had made over the summer"

    similar: aching, agonized, anguished, bemoaning, bewailing, bitter, deploring, dolesome, dolorous, funeral, grieving, heartbroken, lamentable, lugubrious, mournful, plaintive, plangent, regretful, rueful, sorrowful, sorry, wailing, weeping, woeful
    related: dirgelike, elegiac, melancholy, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, dispirited, downcast, downhearted, heartsick, heartsore, inconsolable, tearful, brokenhearted, careworn, crestfallen, forlorn, gloomy, glum, low-spirited, miserable, sad, triste, unhappy, woebegone, bawling, crying, groaning, howling, keening, moaning, yammering, bleeding, suffering, black, bleak, cheerless, comfortless, dark, darkening, desolate, dismal, dreary, funereal, gray, joyless, low, moody, morbid, morose, pathetic, pessimistic, piteous, saturnine, somber, sullen, wretched
    near: delighted, exulting, glorying, happy, joyful, rejoicing, triumphant, bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, laughing, smiling, blissful, blithe, blithesome, buoyant, jocund, jolly, joyous, lighthearted, merry, mirthful, encouraging, hopeful, optimistic, ecstatic, elated, euphoric, exhilarated, giddy, heady, rapturous, rhapsodic

  2. feeling unhappiness

    "the visibly doleful players, heartbroken about their loss"

    similar: bad, blue, brokenhearted, cast down, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, down, down in the mouth, downcast, downhearted, droopy, forlorn, gloomy, glum, hangdog, heartbroken, heartsick, heartsore, heavyhearted, inconsolable, joyless, low, low-spirited, melancholic, melancholy, miserable, mournful, sad, saddened, sorrowful, sorry, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, wretched
    related: aggrieved, distressed, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, worried, despairing, hopeless, sunk, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited, suicidal, dolorous, lachrymose, lugubrious, plaintive, tearful, regretful, rueful, agonized, anguished, grieving, wailing, weeping, black, bleak, cheerless, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, desolate, dismal, drear, dreary, elegiac, funereal, gray, morbid, morose, murky, saturnine, somber, sullen
    opposite: blissful, buoyant, buoyed, cheerful, cheery, chipper, delighted, glad, gladdened, gladsome, gleeful, happy, joyful, joyous, jubilant, sunny, upbeat
    near: ecstatic, elated, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, exuberant, exultant, overjoyed, rapturous, rhapsodic, blithe, blithesome, jocose, jocular, jocund, jolly, jovial, lightsome, merry, mirthful, excited, thrilled, hopeful, optimistic, rosy, sanguine, encouraged, heartened, animated, bouncing, energetic, frisky, jaunty, lively, peppy, perky, spirited, sprightful, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy, content, gratified, pleased, satisfied, beaming, grinning, laughing, smiling, boon, carefree, careless, cavalier, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, lighthearted, unconcerned

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dolefulness

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dolefulness:

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness, affliction, anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, sorriness, sorrow, woe

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dolefulness

Words with the opposite meaning of Dolefulness:

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness, blessedness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, delight, glee, gleefulness, pleasure

Related Words for Dolefulness

melancholia, self-pity, mourning, somberness, woefulness, agony, distress, pain, misery, wretchedness, discouragement, disheartenment, moodiness, despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair, boredom, ennui, tedium, dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity, regret, rue, suffering, torment, desolateness

Near Antonyms of Dolefulness

gaiety, gayness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness, content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction, gratification, merrymaking, enjoyment

Word Forms of Dolefulness

Derived words: dolefully (adverb), dolefulness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Dolefulness

First known use: 13th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Dolefulness

What does "Dolefulness" mean?

"Dolefulness" means full of grief, cheerless. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: full of grief, cheerless. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dolefulness"?

Other words for "Dolefulness" include blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence and despondency. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dolefulness" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dolefulness"?

There are 72 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dolefulness". Common alternatives include blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness and dispiritedness.

What is the opposite of "Dolefulness"?

Antonyms of "Dolefulness" include bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration and exuberance. Near antonyms include gaiety, gayness, humor and jollity.

How do you use "Dolefulness" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dolefulness" in a sentence: "with the resigned dolefulness of an athlete who knows his playing days are over, he cleared out his locker for the last time"; "a period of dolefulness that seemed to last forever for the widower".

Is "Dolefulness" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dolefulness" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Dolefulness"?

"Dolefulness" is pronounced /ˈdōl-fəl/ and divided into syllables as dole·ful.

What is the origin of the word "Dolefulness"?

First known use: 13th century.