dolorous

[ dol-er-uhs, doh-ler- ]

adjective

1. full of, expressing, or causing pain or sorrow; grievous; mournful:

   a dolorous melody; dolorous news.

dolorous

/ ˈdɒlərəs /

adjective

1. causing or involving pain or sorrow

Derived Forms

• ˈdolorously, adverb
• ˈdolorousness, noun

Other Words From

• dolor·ous·ly adverb
• dolor·ous·ness noun
• un·dolor·ous adjective
• un·dolor·ous·ly adverb
• un·dolor·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dolorous¹

1375–1425; Middle English dolorous, dolerous < Anglo-French, Old French; dolor, -ous

Example Sentences

His Mexican fans, known as Manoletistas, wore lapel pins of his face — his “elongated, dolorous profile,” as one reporter described it.

From New York Times

The rooms, though now mostly empty, remain redolent of family gatherings across the decades; most still contain their original wallpaper, dolorously faded and peeling, and tile or terrazzo floors.

From New York Times

“Is it inflating the symphony of the lovable Belgian,” Gilman wondered in the New York Herald Tribune, “to rank it above the dolorous swan song of Tchaikovsky?”

From New York Times

Preliminary data suggests that that dolorous trend continued at least into the first months of 2021.

From Washington Post

Still, few poems are more famous than “The Raven” with its dolorous tocsin, “Nevermore.”

From Washington Post