Sad — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective abbreviation /ˈsad/

Meaning & Definition of Sad

Sad (adjective)

  1. affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness, downcast
  2. causing or associated with grief or unhappiness, depressing
  3. regrettable, deplorable

Sad (abbreviation)

  1. seasonal affective disorder

Sad (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. feeling unhappiness

    "movies in which the hero dies always make us feel sad"

    similar: bad, blue, brokenhearted, cast down, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, doleful, down, downcast, downhearted, down in the mouth, droopy, forlorn, gloomy, glum, hangdog, heartbroken, heartsick, heartsore, heavyhearted, inconsolable, joyless, low, low-spirited, melancholic, melancholy, miserable, mournful, 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

  2. causing unhappiness

    "the sad news about our uncle's death made my father cry"

    similar: depressing, dismal, drear, dreary, heartbreaking, heartrending, melancholy, mournful, pathetic, saddening, sorry, tearful, teary
    related: deplorable, distressful, grievous, lamentable, unfortunate, woeful, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, affecting, moving, poignant, touching, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting
    opposite: cheering, cheery, glad, happy
    near: heartening, heartwarming, inspiring, stimulating, stirring, uplifting, agreeable, delightful, enjoyable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, exhilarating, thrilling

  3. deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)

    "no one expected the supermodel to be a great actress, but her acting is sad beyond belief"

    similar: contemptible, despicable, miserable, pathetic, pitiable, pitiful, sorry, wretched
    related: deplorable, discreditable, disgraceful, disreputable, ignominious, infamous, misbegotten, notorious, shameful, abhorrent, abominable, beastly, detestable, hateful, lousy, odious, stinking, bad, inferior, lame, poor, disgusting, dishonorable, meritless, unworthy, worthless, scandalous, shocking, sordid, unsavory
    opposite: decent, presentable, respectable
    near: admirable, commendable, creditable, laudable, meritorious, praiseworthy, redoubtable, notable, noteworthy, noticeable, outstanding, reputable, worthy, excellent, flawless, perfect, honorable, noble, honest, straight

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sad

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sad:

bad, blue, brokenhearted, cast down, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, doleful, down, downcast, downhearted, down in the mouth, droopy, forlorn, gloomy, glum, hangdog, heartbroken, heartsick, heartsore, heavyhearted, inconsolable, joyless, low, low-spirited, melancholic, melancholy, miserable, mournful, saddened, sorrowful, sorry, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, wretched, depressing, dismal

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sad

Words with the opposite meaning of Sad:

blissful, buoyant, buoyed, cheerful, cheery, chipper, delighted, glad, gladdened, gladsome, gleeful, happy, joyful, joyous, jubilant, sunny, upbeat, cheering, decent, presentable, respectable

Related Words for Sad

aggrieved, distressed, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, worried, despairing, hopeless, sunk, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited, suicidal, dolorous, lachrymose, lugubrious, plaintive, regretful, rueful, agonized, anguished, grieving, wailing, weeping, black, bleak, cheerless, comfortless

Near Antonyms of Sad

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

Word Forms of Sad

Inflections: sadder, saddest

Derived words: sadness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Sad

Middle English, from Old English sæd sated; akin to Old High German sat sated, Latin satis enough

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sad

Words & Phrases Containing Sad

sad sack, poor/sad/sorry excuse for

Frequently Asked Questions about Sad

What does "Sad" mean?

"Sad" means affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness, downcast. As an an adjective and an abbreviation, it is defined as: affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness, downcast. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sad"?

Other words for "Sad" include bad, blue, brokenhearted, cast down, crestfallen, dejected, depressed and despondent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sad" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sad"?

There are 140 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sad". Common alternatives include bad, blue, brokenhearted, cast down, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate and doleful.

What is the opposite of "Sad"?

Antonyms of "Sad" include blissful, buoyant, buoyed, cheerful, cheery, chipper, delighted and glad. Near antonyms include ecstatic, elated, enraptured and entranced.

How do you use "Sad" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sad" in a sentence: "movies in which the hero dies always make us feel sad"; "the sad news about our uncle's death made my father cry"; "no one expected the supermodel to be a great actress, but her acting is sad beyond belief".

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

"Sad" can be used as an adjective and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Sad" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Sad" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Sad"?

"Sad" is pronounced /ˈsad/.