saddening
Making hearts heavy
Saddening describes something that causes sadness or disappointment: It was saddening to see the old theater demolished.
The word functions as both a present participle of sadden and a standalone adjective.
Unlike devastating or heartbreaking, saddening suggests a gentler, more gradual onset of melancholy rather than acute grief.
Causing low mood
- dishearteningCausing loss of hope
- heartbreakingCausing intense emotional anguish
- distressingCausing anguish or worry
- upsettingCausing emotional turmoil
sorrowful · mournful · grievous · painful · tearful · anguishing · devastating · crushing
Causing loss of confidence
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- dispiritingCausing loss of enthusiasm
- deflatingReleasing contained gas
- dismayingCausing loss of confidence
troubling · unsettling · disquieting · disappointing · unfortunate · regrettable · lamentable · deplorable
Subdued, lasting sadness
- somberGravely serious in mood
- gloomyDark and dispiriting
- bleakDreary and without cheer
- dismalDepressingly dark or dull
dreary · forlorn · despondent · downcast · dejected · crestfallen · dispirited · glum
Intense sorrow from loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- bereavementState following loss
- heartbreakCrushing emotional pain
- separationState of being apart
farewell · parting · death · dying · funeral · memorial · obituary · loss
depressing
Causing low mood
- dishearteningCausing loss of hope
- heartbreakingCausing intense emotional anguish
- distressingCausing anguish or worry
upsetting · sorrowful · mournful · grievous · painful · tearful · anguishing · devastating · crushing · wrenching
discouraging
Causing loss of confidence
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- dispiritingCausing loss of enthusiasm
- deflatingReleasing contained gas
dismaying · troubling · unsettling · disquieting · disappointing · unfortunate · regrettable · lamentable · deplorable · tragic
melancholy
Subdued, lasting sadness
dismal · dreary · forlorn · despondent · downcast · dejected · crestfallen · dispirited · glum · morose
grief
Intense sorrow from loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- bereavementState following loss
- heartbreakCrushing emotional pain
separation · farewell · parting · death · dying · funeral · memorial · obituary · loss · goodbye
- emotional reactionsinspiring, moving, touching, heartwarming, chilling
- sombergloomy, bleak, dreary, dismal, melancholy
- dispiritingdemoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, deflating
- exhaustingdraining, taxing, tiring, exhausting, fatiguing
saddeningcheering
Vocal encouragement given
heartening · uplifting · gladdening · heartwarming · encouraging
sad, sadness, sadly, sadden, saddened, sadder, saddest, saddens