What feeling sorrowful is like
Sorrow is deep sadness, often after a loss, like a death, a break-up or the end of something important. It's closely linked to grief.
Sorrowful or melancholy?
Sorrowful is sadness tied to a loss. Melancholy is a more general, reflective sadness that may not have a clear cause. Read more about feeling melancholy.
Finding sorrowful on the feelings wheel
On the Feeling Wheel, sorrowful sits in the Sad group. Start in the middle of the wheel with sad, then move outwards to sorrowful. If it's close but not quite right, the other sad words below may fit better. It's also normal to feel more than one thing at once.
Other words in the Sad group
Sad words range from a mild let-down to deep grief and hopelessness.
- Bleak Feeling hopeless or discouraged about the future
- Depressed Feeling deep unhappiness or sadness
- Hurt Feeling emotional pain or distress
- Deflated Feeling temporarily let down or disappointed
- Melancholy Feeling deep, reflective sadness
- Gloomy Feeling pessimistic or downcast
- Discouraged Feeling a loss of confidence or enthusiasm
- Insignificant Feeling unimportant or overlooked
- Broken Feeling deeply emotionally damaged
- Bored Feeling uninterested or weary
- Numb Feeling unable to experience emotions
- Apathetic Feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern
- Empty Feeling a lack of meaning or fulfilment
- Despair Feeling complete loss of hope
- Disillusioned Feeling disappointed that reality isn’t as expected
- Miserable Feeling extremely unhappy or uncomfortable
- Disappointed Feeling sad that expectations weren’t met
- Indifferent Feeling no strong pull in any direction
Name what you're feeling
Feeling Wheel puts all 118 of these words on one wheel. Tap the ones that fit, add a note if you like, and see your patterns over time. Free on iPhone and Android.