saddening

ADJECTIVE

depressing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak daunting disheartening dismal dispiriting distressing dreary gloomy heartbreaking sad

STRONG

black dejecting

WEAK

funereal hopeless joyless melancholic melancholy mournful oppressive somber

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful comforting encouraging exhilarating glad happy joyful light pleasant sunny

WEAK

cheering

ADJECTIVE

dispiriting

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crushing discouraging disheartening dismal

STRONG

demoralizing

WEAK

cheerless gloomy joyless melancholy sad

ADJECTIVE

gloomy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak discouraging disheartening dismal dreary dull funereal somber

WEAK

acheronian acherontic bad black cheerless cold comfortless depressive desolate disconsolate dispiriting drab dusky joyless lugubrious morose oppressive tenebrific

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful clear encouraging happy joyful light lively pleasant

WEAK

animated content encouraged exhilarating sparkling sunny uplifting vivacious

ADJECTIVE

joyless

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bleak dejected depressing dismal downcast dreary miserable

WEAK

black blue cheerless depressant depressed dispirited dispiriting doleful down in the mouth dragged droopy gloomy have the blahs heavy low melancholic melancholy mopey mournful sad somber

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful elated encouraging glad happy light pleasant

WEAK

delighted joyful

ADJECTIVE

melancholy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

gloomy grim mournful pensive somber sorrowful trite wistful

STRONG

blue down downbeat downcast low moody

WEAK

dejected despondent destroyed disconsolate dismal dispirited doleful dolorous down and out down in the dumps down in the mouth downhearted dragged droopy funereal glum heavy-hearted in blue funk joyless lachrymose low-spirited lugubrious mirthless miserable moony saddened sorry torn-up unhappy wet blanket woebegone woeful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bright cheerful happy joyful sunny

STRONG

above decent gay heartened

ADJECTIVE

nagging

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aching agonizing excruciating grievous inflamed severe terrible throbbing troublesome

STRONG

biting burning distressing harrowing hurting irritated piercing smarting stinging tender tormenting trying

WEAK

achy afflictive arduous awful caustic difficult dire disagreeable distasteful dreadful extreme extremely bad hard hurtful laborious raw sensitive sharp sore tedious uncomfortable unpleasant vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy good helpful nice pleasant

STRONG

mild

ADJECTIVE

painful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agonizing arduous awful difficult dire distasteful distressing excruciating hard harrowing heart-wrenching hurtful severe tedious terrible troublesome uncomfortable unpleasant

WEAK

aching afflictive biting burning caustic disagreeable dreadful extreme extremely bad grievous hurting inflamed irritated laborious piercing raw sensitive sharp smarting sore stinging tender throbbing tormenting trying vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agreeable calm easy facile friendly good great helpful mild nice pleasant pleasing simple wonderful

WEAK

delightful painless

ADJECTIVE

plaintive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

grief-stricken heartrending melancholy mournful sad sorrowful wistful

WEAK

beefing bellyaching cantankerous crabby cranky disconsolate doleful grievous grousing grumpy lamenting lugubrious out of sorts pathetic piteous pitiful rueful wailing woeful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy joyful

ADJECTIVE

sad

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bad dark depressing dismal miserable moving pathetic pitiful poignant regrettable serious sorry tragic

STRONG

discouraging disheartening dreary grave heart-rending joyless melancholic tear-jerking upsetting

WEAK

calamitous deplorable disastrous discomposing dispiriting funereal grievous hapless lachrymose lamentable lugubrious oppressive pitiable shabby tearful unsatisfactory wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantageous blessed bright cheerful encouraging fortunate glad good happy hopeful joyful light lucky pleasant right unaffecting

ADJECTIVE

smarting

Synonyms

STRONG

aching agonizing biting burning caustic distressing excruciating extreme harrowing hurting inflamed irritated nagging piercing raw sensitive sharp sore stinging tender throbbing tormenting trying

WEAK

achy afflictive arduous awful difficult dire disagreeable distasteful dreadful extremely bad grievous hard hurtful laborious severe tedious terrible troublesome uncomfortable unpleasant vexatious

Antonyms

STRONG

bland calm experienced good healthy kind low mild moderate nice pleasant pleasing soothing unfeeling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

"It’s saddening to hear about all the threats to their jobs," said college senior Nicole Droeger Stephens.

From Salon • May 31, 2025

Nick Merriman, chief executive of English Heritage, said the vandalism was "deeply saddening".

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2024

Archbishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in London described the murders as "saddening and shocking".

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2024

It is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

saddening

Example Sentences

Related Words