woe
word
/ˈwoʊ/
/wˈəʊ/
Definition
Great sadness, trouble, or suffering. 'Woe' can refer to emotional pain or difficult situations.
Usage & Nuances
'Woe' is formal and literary; you seldom hear it in everyday conversation. Common in phrases like 'woe is me!' (expressing self-pity) and 'tales of woe.' It usually describes deep or dramatic emotions rather than casual sadness.
Spanish: aflicción - desgracia - penaPortuguese (BR): aflição - desventura - tristezaPortuguese (PT): aflição - desgraça - pesarChinese (Simplified): 苦难 - 悲哀 - 不幸Chinese (Traditional): 苦難 - 悲哀 - 不幸Hindi: विपत्ति - दुखArabic: ويل - حزن - شقاءBengali: দুঃখ - দুর্দশাRussian: горе - беда - скорбьJapanese: 苦悩 - 悲哀Vietnamese: nỗi đau buồn - bất hạnhKorean: 고통 - 불행 - 슬픔Turkish: keder - sıkıntı - acıUrdu: غم - مصیبتIndonesian: kesengsaraan - penderitaan - duka
Example Sentences
She felt deep woe after losing her job.
basic
The country faced years of war and woe.
basic
His story was full of woe and loss.
basic
I posted my computer problems online, and everyone replied with their own tales of woe.
natural
The phrase 'woe is me!' means someone is feeling sorry for themselves.
natural
After hearing all the bad news, he just shook his head and said, 'Oh, woe.'
natural