Dictionary Entry

doleful

Part of Speech: adjectivePronunciation: /ˈdoʊlfəl/Used In Literature ↓

Filled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.

In a Sentence

“The doleful peal of the bell indicated another funeral was being held.”

Origin

Origin details are still being enriched for this entry.

Common Phrases

. dolefulvoice dolefulcreatures dolefulsound dolefulcries dolefultale doleful

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Synonyms

Antonyms

No antonyms yet.

Poetry examples for “doleful”

Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.

Look from above, where you in joys remain,
And bow your ears unto my doleful ditty.
And, Pan! thou shepheards' god, that once didst love,

Was such a grief as cannot be.
Shall I then sing, skipping, thy doleful story,
And side with thy triumphant glory?

Tell their beads in drops of rain,
And patter their doleful prayers;
But their prayers are all in vain,

Are these that smite upon my ear
With such a doleful sound!
What torments rack my heart and head!

"2. A bellman ringing, and with a loud (but doleful) voice, crying
out all the way, remember Justice Godfrey.

Of the new sun, and thwart my prison thrown _40
Gleamed through its narrow chink, a doleful sight,
'Three faces, each the reflex of my own,

As you spin a cherry.
O doleful ghosts, and goblins merry,
O all you virtues, methods, mights;

He heard a voice distinctly; ’twas the youth’s,
Who sung a doleful song about green fields,
How sweet it were on lake or wild savannah,

And I am happy when I sing
Full many a sad and doleful thing:
Then, lovely baby, do not fear!

That makes us weep, laugh, grunt and groan, and shout
Doleful heroics, pinching gestures forth
From madness or delight, without regard