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deep sorrow

deep sorrow

4 3.7
A very strong feeling of sadness after a great loss
  • noun
translation icon : profunda tristeza
  • After losing her beloved pet, she felt an overwhelming sense of deep sorrow that lingered for weeks.
  • express deep sorrow
  • feel deep sorrow
  • deep sorrow at your loss

A chance to feel all of life, from deep sorrow to deep bliss.

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Examples

  • We Christians, like all other humans, experience conflict in our moral choices and deep sorrow at the vicissitudes of life.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Mouth gone bitter with disappointment, her face was a mask of deep sorrow.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • But I felt a deep sorrow for him.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Lord God, hold them close to you in their time of deep sorrow.

    Blog text (14)
  • There are unique moments when two people share the deep sorrow of existence.

  • But for my family, life had not been only about building houses and having children; the passing years had brought with them times of deep sorrow.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • But before you go, I'm sure the whole board wishes to express its deep sorrow - at the passing of Peter Bailey.

  • Only in deep sorrow and exquisite joy intertwined can we really see His heart.

    Blog text (24)
  • It had never occurred to me before that a quilter puts her own emotions into her work, that each quilt could be an expression of her joy or her deep sorrow.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Across the decades, we have prayed during moments of deep sorrow and great joy—through 100 Good Fridays and Easter Sundays.

    Blog text (30)

Synonyms

grief
vsdeep sorrow
443 2.1

Deep sadness after you lose someone or something important

is a strong feeling that can happen without a specific loss
depression
vsdeep sorrow
330 3.7

A deep feeling of sadness and loss of interest in life

is an acute intense feeling rather than a lasting clinical condition
misery
vsdeep sorrow
310 2.8

A feeling of great unhappiness and suffering

is an intense emotional feeling rather than broad suffering
sadness
vsdeep sorrow
229 1.0

A feeling of being unhappy

is a deeper, more intense form of that general unhappiness
melancholy
vsdeep sorrow
37 5.9

Feeling or showing deep sadness

is stronger and more intense than a general gloomy mood
dolor
vsdeep sorrow
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Deep, painful sadness about a loss

is the same intense feeling but without the poetic flavour
mournfulness
vsdeep sorrow
1 6.5

A deep, quiet feeling or look of sadness

is the internal intense emotion rather than an outward appearance
tristesse
vsdeep sorrow
1 9.9

A deep feeling of sadness and quiet sorrow

is more focused on intensity than on quiet or gentle tone
Weltschmerz
vsdeep sorrow
1 9.9

A deep sadness about the suffering and unfairness in the world

is a deep personal feeling not tied specifically to global concerns
dolefulness
vsdeep sorrow
9.0

Deep, quiet sadness often caused by grief

focuses on the single intense feeling rather than the long state
unfathomable grief
vsdeep sorrow
8.7

Very deep sadness that feels too strong to understand

is similarly deep but without implying it cannot be understood
sorrowfulness
vsdeep sorrow
6.3

A deep feeling of sadness about a loss

refers to the immediate intense feeling rather than the ongoing quality
brokenheartedness
vsdeep sorrow
7.5

Deep sadness after losing someone you love

covers intense feeling more generally, not only after personal loss
heavyheartedness
vsdeep sorrow
7.7

A feeling of deep sadness and loss

is the same deep feeling but not emphasised as heaviness of spirit

Antonyms

joy
793 1.0

A strong feeling of great happiness

26 2.1

A feeling of being happy and satisfied with your life

How Sad

despair
210 3.5
deep sorrow
4 3.7
sorrow
243 2.1
sadness
229 1.0

Surface Forms

deep sorrow singular
deep sorrows plural

Morphology

deep + sorrow

The meaning 'a feeling of intense sadness' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'deep' (very strong/extreme) with 'sorrow' (grief), because 'deep' functions as an intensifier modifying an emotional noun. This adjective+noun compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English semantics, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Deep sorrow uses the image of sadness as a deep, dark hole or a wide sea. The words deep and sorrow show that being deep in this feeling is hard to get out of. So, deep sorrow means 'very strong sadness'.