woe

1 of 2

interjection

ˈwō 

—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

Synonyms

Interjection

• alack
• alas
• ay
• wirra [Irish]

Noun

• affliction
• agony
• anguish
• distress
• excruciation
• hurt
• misery
• pain
• rack
• strait(s)
• torment
• torture
• travail
• tribulation

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

Noun

Indeed, Lilium isn't the only European eVTOL maker struggling to raise funds, with Volocopter facing similar financial woes following the German government also failing to back its loan guarantees, with China's Geely reportedly in talks to buy a majority slice of the company. —Nicole Kobie, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024

And losing to Forest, the team that finished the afternoon in second place, is not cause for excessive woe. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024

King Charles can't get involved in Prince Harry's security woes: author Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of ‘My Mother and I,’ explains why the monarch is too exhausted to deal with his younger son’s ongoing court battle. —Ashley Hume, Fox News, 29 Dec. 2024

The Container Store has more than 100 locations in the U.S. The Container Store's woes come during what's been a tough year for some bricks-and-mortar retailers, which have seen store closures spike almost 70% this year. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English wa, wo, from Old English wā; 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

Phrases Containing woe

• tale of woe
• woe is me
• woe to/betide

Kids Definition

woe

noun

ˈwō

1

: great suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble

2

: trouble entry 2 sense 1b

economic woes