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Plaintive vs Woeful - What's the difference?

plaintive | woeful |

As adjectives the difference between plaintive and woeful

is that plaintive is sounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic while woeful is full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.

plaintive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Sounding sorrowful, mournful or melancholic.

    • Related terms

    * plaint * plaintiff

    External links

    * * ----

    woeful

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.
    • How many woeful widows left to bow / To sad disgrace! — Daniel.
  • Bringing calamity, distress, or affliction.
    • a woeful event
    a woeful lack of restraint
  • wretched; paltry; poor
    • What woeful stuff this madrigal would be! — Pope.

    Synonyms

    * See also