sadly

Everyday

1. In a sad way. tree →
2. Unfortunately; it is sad that... (at the start of a sentence). tree →
3. Very much, badly: sadly mistaken. tree →

In the lessons

In stories it shows how someone speaks or acts. As a sentence opener it gives bad news gently. In euphemisms: «sadly, Grandpa passed away». Phrases: sadly missed, sadly mistaken.

Examples

• The dog looked sadly at the empty bowl. tree →
• Sadly, the match was cancelled because of rain. tree →
• «I have to go home,» she said sadly. tree →
• Sadly, our hamster died last week. tree →
• You are sadly mistaken if you think that is easy. tree →
• He will be sadly missed by everyone. tree →
• The King shook his head sadly. tree →

Note

Formed from sad + -ly. «Sadly, ...» at the start of a sentence is about the speaker's feeling about the news, not about how something was done.