sad ending
No happy resolution
A sad ending is the conclusion of a story, relationship, or situation that brings sorrow or disappointment rather than happiness or resolution.
The phrase typically describes narratives where protagonists fail, die, or suffer loss: The movie had a sad ending—she never made it home.
It can also characterize real-life outcomes: Their marriage came to a sad ending after twenty years.
- tragicCausing great sorrow
- bittersweetWistful yet warm
- tearjerkerEmotionally manipulative entertainment
- heartbreakCrushing emotional pain
- broken heartEmotional pain from loss
death · dying breath · loss · empty chair · farewell · last goodbye · goodbye · tears · grief · melancholy · doom · downfall · tragedy · sorrow · funeral · parting · requiem · lament
- angst ficwhump, hurt/comfort, tearjerker, character death, emotional trauma
- griefgrief, mourning, bereavement, sorrow, grieving
- endingsfinish, close, final, conclusion, conclude
sad endinghappy ending
Story concludes well
happily ever after · fairy tale ending · Hollywood ending · bittersweet ending
sad, ending, sadly, sadness, sadder, saddest, end, ends, ended