US /ˈdoʊlfəl/ UK /ˈdəʊlfəl/
adj

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    expressing sorrow; mournful

    The dog gave a doleful whine at the closed door.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · expressing sorrow; mournful mournfulsorrowfulwoefulmelancholydismallugubriousplaintive
Word family
Forms dolefully
Derived forms dolefullydolefulness

Etymology

From Middle English dolful, from dole ('grief, sorrow'), from Old French doel, from Late Latin dolus, from Latin dolere ('to grieve'), + -ful.

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