sad·ness /sadnəs/ noun the condition or quality of being sad. "a source of great sadness" synonyms: unhappiness, sorrow, dejection, depression, misery, despondency, despair, desolation, wretchedness, gloom, gloominess, dolefulness, melancholy, mournfulness, woe, heartache, grief; informalthe blues "our sadness cannot be measured"