Through dolorous despaire, which she conceyved, Into the Sea her selfe did headlong throw, Thinking to have her griefe by death bereaved.
Source: wiktionary
Dolorous
/ˈdɒləɹəs/
Synonyms for "dolorous" (77 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (16)
Strong matches (23)
Adjective(2 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (38)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: affecting, afflicted, afflictive, aggrieved, anguished.
- Sentence evidence is available for dolorous, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "dolorous".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "dolorous"
Keep "dolorous" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "dolorous" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "dolorous", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "dolorous" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesemotional statemood
More specific
1 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdolorous atmospheredolorous crydolorous newsdolorous silencedolorous taledolorous tone
Inflections
2 entriesmore dolorousmost dolorous
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
. . . Hell itself will pass away, And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day.
Source: wiktionary
From this prison here of horror, whence I every hour tend nearer and nearer to destruction, I send you . . . the assurance of my dolorous and unhappy service.
Source: wiktionary
She turned and waved a hand to him, she cried a word, but he didn't hear it, it was a lost word. A sable wraith she was in the parkland, fading away into the dolorous crypt of winter.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "dolorous"?
Closest matches include affecting, afflicted, afflictive, aggrieved, anguished.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "dolorous"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.