From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsadsad /sæd/ ●●● S2 W3 adjective (comparative sadder, superlative saddest) 1 feeling unhappySAD/UNHAPPY not happy, especially because something unpleasant has happened OPP happyfeel/look/sound sad Dad looked sad and worried as he read the letter.be sad to hear/see/read etc something I was very sad to hear that he had died.sad that Lilly felt sad that Christmas was over.sad about I was sad about the friends I was leaving behind.sad smile/face/expression etc There was such a sad look in her eyes.2 making you unhappySAD/UNHAPPY a sad event, situation etc makes you feel unhappy Sorry to hear the sad news. It was a sad case. The boy ended up in prison.sad story/song/film etc a story with a sad endingit is sad to see/hear etc something It was sad to see them arguing.sad time/day/moment etc This is a sad day for us all.3 not satisfactoryRIGHT/PROPER# very bad or unacceptable There aren’t enough teachers, which is a sad state of affairs (=bad situation).it’s sad that/when/if ... It’s sad if people are too afraid to go out alone at night.the sad fact is (that) spoken The sad fact is that prejudice still exists. Sad to say (=unfortunately), the country is heading towards civil war.4 lonelySAD/UNHAPPY a sad person has a dull, unhappy, or lonely life She’s a sad character – without any friends at all.5 boring informal boring or not deserving any respect Stay in on Saturday night? What a sad idea!6 → sadder and/but wiser → sadnessCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a sad event, situation etc makes you feel unhappynounsa sad story/song/filmHe had listened patiently to his client’s sad story about her awful life.sad newsIt was with great shock that we heard the sad news that he had died.a sad factIt’s a sad fact that a significant amount of crime is committed by young people.the sad truthThe sad truth is that the new law will not deter criminals.a sad day/timeI’m really disappointed that this happened. It’s a sad day for football.a sad caseTake the sad case of Gary Marsh, who was badly injured during a match.a sad endingThe film has a sad ending.the sad thing (=the sad part of a situation)The sad thing is that there’s little we can do about the situation now. THESAURUSsad not happyShe felt sad as she waved goodbye.a sad and lonely figurea sad facea sad filmunhappy sad, especially for a long time – used about people and periods of timeI was unhappy at school.an unhappy childhoodHe’s obviously a deeply unhappy person. homesick [not before noun] sad because you are away from your home, family, and friendsShe sometimes felt homesick when she first arrived in Japan.down [not before noun] informal feeling sad for a few hours or days, often for no reasonWhenever I’m feeling down, I go out and buy myself some new clothes.She’s been kind of down since that argument with Jack.gloomy looking or sounding sad and without hope – used about people, places, and weatherWhy are you all looking so gloomy?the gloomy immigration officea gloomy afternoon in Februarydejected/downcast looking sad and disappointed because something you hoped for did not happen‘I didn’t pass, ’ he said, looking dejected.a downcast expressionHe was understandably downcast after the team’s loss.mournful especially literary looking or sounding sad the dog’s big mournful eyesthe mournful sound of the church bell a mournful expressionglum looking sad and disappointedDon’t look so glum! Maybe you’ll win next time.They sat in glum silence.wistful especially literary looking a little sad and thoughtful, because you wish that the situation was differentShe looked at him with a wistful smile.very sadmiserable very sad, especially because you are lonely, cold, ill, or upset – used about people and periods of timeI felt miserable and blamed myself for what had happened. Her life was miserable.I had a miserable time at college.depressed very sad and without hope for a long time, because things are wrong in your life or because of a medical conditionAfter his wife left him, he became depressed and refused to talk to anyone.heartbroken extremely sad because of something that has happened to someone or something that you care about very muchShe was heartbroken when her dog died.distressed/distraught very upset because of something bad that has happened, so that you cannot think clearlyShe was very distressed when he left her.The boy’s hospital bed was surrounded by distraught relatives.devastated [not before noun] extremely sad and shocked, because something very bad has happenedThe whole town was devastated by the tragedy.COLLOCATIONS CHECKsad person/expression/story/song/filmunhappy person/expression/childhood/marriagegloomy person/expression/place/weatherdejected/downcast person/expressionmournful sound/eyes/expression
Examples from the Corpus
sad• You stayed home waiting for him to call? You are so sad.• It's natural to feel sad about it when your children finally leave home.• She felt sad as she waved goodbye.• Those moments became sad bygones as drivers solemnly filed into Calvary Church, North Carolina's largest.• But one sad day she happened not to be with him and he tracked down a mighty boar.• The day her son left home was one of the saddest days of her life.• I don't like movies with sad endings.• His son Michel is apparently taking over the family trade, and has perfected the sad Gallic intonations of his dad.• Don't look so sad! It won't be long until the next holidays.• There was such a sad look in her eyes.• My brother told us the sad news.• But an omelette empty of content was a sad object.• Fairuz sang a sad song that made us all feel homesick.• A sad state of affairs, but it is so.• This sad state of affairs does not have to continue.• It's pretty sad that in an Italian restaurant they can't cook pasta well.• It's very sad that she died before her children grew up.• We missed our families and it was a sad time.• It is sad to go into their offices.• We were very sad to hear about Mrs Humphrey's death.• I was glad to be going home, but sad to leave all my friends.• I felt so sad when I heard about Ronald's death.sad smile/face/expression etc• Dress your child up in a clown outfit and paint on a sad face.• He looked up with a sad smile.• The cat had a sad face.• His eyes appraised her face, a lovely face, a sad face - because of him.• What she was to remember most vividly was a sad expression in his eyes.• The sad faces look out longingly at the small figures silhouetted on the rooftops.• Paul sat beside her, utterly still, a small, sad smile on his face.• A black-haired woman with a long, sad face was inside.sad time/day/moment etc• It turned out to be an irritating, sad day.• We missed our families and it was a sad time.• He says it's been a sad day, but its also a homecoming.• It was a sad day for boxing.• If they get possession of the Mississippi River, it will be a sad day for the Confederacy.• For consumers like Gore, it will be a sad day if Napster is closed down.• We live in sad times now; the Puritans cut King Charles's head off last January.• But one sad day she happened not to be with him and he tracked down a mighty boar.Sad to say• Sad to say , many children fail to appreciate their parents until it's too late.SADSAD /sæd/ noun [uncountable] medical the abbreviation of seasonal affective disorderOrigin sad Old English sæd “having had enough” 