sad

1 of 2

adjective

sadder; saddest
1
a
: affected with or expressive of grief or unhappiness : downcast
b(1)
: causing or associated with grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
(2)
: regrettable, deplorable
a sad relaxation of moralsC. W. Cunnington
c
: of little worth
2
: of a dull somber color
sadness noun

SAD

2 of 2

abbreviation

seasonal affective disorder

Examples of sad in a Sentence

Adjective He's feeling sad because his pet died. People were sad that he was leaving. The experience left her sadder but wiser. Have you heard the sad news about his wife's illness? It'll be a sad day when you leave us. a movie with a sad ending He lived a sad life. The sad fact of the matter is that they are right. The new version is a sad imitation of the original movie. We needed more money but, sad to say, there wasn't any.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
That's the sad reality facing many dogs in the wider shelter system. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025 Know that all feelings are OK Some kids might be very sad or might be scared, and some kids might not have thought about this at all. Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 11 July 2025 The sad thing is, some people actually believe him. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025 Sinner plowed through an ailing Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, in a match that could serve as a sad, unfortunate coda to one of the most remarkable grass careers in tennis history. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sad

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English sæd sated; akin to Old High German sat sated, Latin satis enough

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sad was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sad. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sad

adjective
sadder; saddest
1
: filled with or expressing grief or unhappiness
sad songs
2
: causing grief or unhappiness : depressing
sad news
sadly adverb

Medical Definition

SAD

abbreviation
seasonal affective disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on sad

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!