(sadder, saddest)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If you are sad, you feel unhappy, usually because something has happened that you do not like.
The relationship had been important to me and its loss left me feeling sad and empty...
I'm sad that Julie's marriage is on the verge of splitting up...
I'd grown fond of our little house and felt sad to leave it...
I'm sad about my toys getting burned in the fire.
? happy
ADJ: oft ADJ that/to-inf, ADJ about n
• sadly
Judy said sadly, 'He has abandoned me.'
ADV: usu ADV with v
• sadness
It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I say farewell.
? happiness
N-UNCOUNT
2.
Sad stories and sad news make you feel sad.
I received the sad news that he had been killed in a motor-cycle accident.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
3.
A sad event or situation is unfortunate or undesirable.
It's a sad truth that children are the biggest victims of passive smoking.
ADJ
• sadly
Sadly, bamboo plants die after flowering...
ADV: usu ADV adj, ADV with cl
4.
If you describe someone as sad, you do not have any respect for them and think their behaviour or ideas are ridiculous. (INFORMAL)
...sad old bikers and youngsters who think that Jim Morrison is God.
= pathetic
ADJ: usu ADJ n [disapproval]