Definition

The state of feeling or showing great sadness or regret.

Example

Her woefulness was evident in her tear-filled eyes as she spoke about her lost opportunity.

Conversation

I was reading a book that described the character's woefulness perfectly.

That sounds interesting! What was happening to the character?

They were going through a really tough time, feeling lost and alone.

I can relate to that sometimes; it's tough to shake off that kind of feeling.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Woefulness is formed from "woeful" (from Old English "wōeful", meaning full of woe or sorrow) and "-ness" (a suffix meaning the state or quality of). The word describes the state of being full of sorrow or misery.

Memory Tip

Think of being 'full of woe' — 'woeful' means having sorrow, and '-ness' indicates a state. So, woefulness is the state of being full of sorrow.

Visually Confused Words