woe

1 of 2

interjection

used to express grief, regret, or distress

woe

2 of 2

noun

plural woes
1
: a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief
2
: ruinous trouble : calamity, affliction
economic woes
Choose the Right Synonym for woe

sorrow, grief, anguish, woe, regret mean distress of mind.

sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

Examples of woe in a Sentence

Interjection ah, woe, with the death of the last of my siblings I am alone in this world! Noun The city's traffic woes are well-known. a tale of misery and woe
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Of course, there is a little awkwardness in seeking to convince entertainers that AI is the solution to the AI woes that have dogged the creative landscape in recent years. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2025 Not only are major headline-grabbers like Diddy's woes and the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp saga popping up with increasing frequency but there is a massive surge in smaller cases that merit only a smattering of media coverage. Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025 Faced with such guardrails in exploring romantic woes, Hao himself emerges as the documentary’s most intriguing figure. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025 Eagles offer unexpected explanation for kicker's woes. Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for woe 

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English wa, wo, from Old English ; akin to Old Norse vei, interjection, woe, Latin vae

First Known Use

Interjection

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of woe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near woe

Cite this Entry

“Woe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woe. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

woe

noun
ˈwō
1
: great suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble
2
: trouble entry 2 sense 1b
economic woes

More from Merriam-Webster on woe

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!