Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about sorrowful (AI summary)

In literature, "sorrowful" is used to evoke deep emotional states and to paint vivid pictures of melancholy and loss. Often, it describes the internal turmoil of characters—capturing a range of feelings from wistful regret to profound grief, as when one character speaks in a sorrowful whisper, embodying inner pain ([1], [2]). The term is also employed to imbue settings and events with a sense of desolation or divine lament, whether referring to a landscape touched by an unfriendly rain or to the tragic fates intertwined with destiny ([3], [4]). Additionally, in moral and religious contexts, "sorrowful" underscores the gravity of sin and penance, lending a weighty, reflective tone to the narrative ([5], [6]).
  1. “I have no hope,” said Mr. Lorry, in a low and sorrowful whisper.
    — from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
  2. Though I was timid about saying it, I ventured because of the sorrowful tone in which he had spoken.
    — from Bleak House by Charles Dickens
  3. When the east wind blows I always think of sorrowful rain on the eaves and sad waves on a gray shore.
    — from Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
  4. The King's son set off, but he sighed and was sorrowful, for how was he to find the Golden Horse?
    — from Household Tales by Brothers Grimm by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm
  5. But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
  6. For if I make you sorrowful, who is he then that can make me glad, but the same who is made sorrowful by me?
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, Scrabble


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Compound Your Joy