different between sadly vs woefully

English

Etymology

sad +? -ly

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?sadli/

Adverb

sadly (comparative sadlier or more sadly, superlative sadliest or most sadly)

1. In a sad manner; sorrowfully.

2. Unfortunately, sad to say.
3. (dated) Very much (of a desire etc.); dearly; urgently.
4. (obsolete) Deeply, completely.

Usage notes

In sense of “unfortunately”, most often used either in the collocation “sadly mistaken” or as a sentence adverb. See discussion of sentence modifiers at hopefully and regretfully.

Synonyms

• (in a sad manner): sorrowfully, ruefully, mournfully, regretfully (various terms for particular shades of sadness)
• (unfortunately): unfortunately, sad to say, regrettably, regretfully, alas

Derived terms

• unsadly

Translations

Anagrams

• DALYs, Dyals, ladsy

English

Etymology

From Middle English wofully, equivalent to woeful +? -ly.

Adverb

woefully (comparative more woefully, superlative most woefully)

1. In a woeful manner.
   • 2013 June 18, Simon Romero, "Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders," New York Times (retrieved 21 June 2013):

     In a convulsion that has caught many in Brazil and beyond by surprise, waves of protesters denounced their leaders for dedicating so many resources to cultivating Brazil’s global image by building stadiums for international events, when basic services like education and health care remain woefully inadequate.