Sorrowing

Synonyms for "sorrowing" (44 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: agony, anguish, anguished, bereaved, bereft.
  • Sentence evidence is available for sorrowing, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss.

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 "sorrowing".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "sorrowing"

Keep "sorrowing" 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 "sorrowing" 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 "sorrowing", 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 "sorrowing" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

10 entries

More specific

15 entries
bereaved personbereavementbewailgriefgrievegrieving familylamentlamentable occurrencelamentationmournmournful expressionmournful scenemourningmourning ritualstragic incident

Collocations

13 entries
collective sorrowingdeep sorrowingprolonged sorrowingpublic sorrowingsorrowing bellssorrowing crowdsorrowing familiessorrowing familysorrowing moodsorrowing mothersorrowing mournerssorrowing nationsorrowing relatives

Inflections

5 entries
more sorrowfulmost sorrowfulsorrowedsorrowingssorrows

Derivations

4 entries

similar

1 entries

Sample sentences

6 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

I have long been sorrowing lamenting for your woes.

Source: tatoeba (5094935)

Daphnis and Chloe, however, cherished in their memory the pleasures of which they were now deprived, — their kisses, embraces, and happy meals together. They passed many a sleepless, sorrowing night, and looked forward to the return of spring as to a resurrection from death.

Source: tatoeba (6213042)

To him, such cares revolving in his breast, / her shining eyes suffused with tears, came nigh / fair Venus, for her darling son distrest, / and thus in sorrowing tones the Sire of heaven addressed.

Source: tatoeba (6785651)

Then, weeping too, I seem in sorrowing strain / to hail the hero, with a voice of pain.

Source: tatoeba (6816656)

Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "sorrowing"?

Closest matches include agony, anguish, anguished, bereaved, bereft.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "sorrowing"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "sorrowing"