adverb
sadly
With sadness, or used to express regret about a fact.
She smiles sadly as she waves goodbye to her brother.
Etymology
Sad shifted from full or satisfied through serious and heavy to sorrowful. Sadly expresses that sorrow in an action or in the speaker's response.
More examples
- Sadly, the library no longer opens on Sundays.
- He looks sadly at the empty chair beside him.
- Sadly, we can't afford to repair the old piano.
Forms
sadly · more sadly · most sadly
sad adjective — Feeling or showing sorrow or unhappiness.
sadness noun — The feeling of sorrow or unhappiness.
Similar words
- sorrowfully
- Emphasizes deep sorrow rather than regret about a fact.
- unfortunately
- Expresses regret about circumstances, not a person's sad manner.
- regretfully
- Emphasizes regret, often about a decision or action.