Keystone English 10

Vocabulary #6 –Words of Sadness, Pain, Grief etc.

PART 1 (13 words)

Ascetic (adjective)

Definition: Shunning pleasures; self-denying; austere

Context Sentence: The conservative and ascetic Puritans of the early Massachusetts colony rigidly suppressed many forms of pleasure and recreation.

Ascetic (noun) Definition: A person who shuns pleasures and lives simply

Context Sentence: The monk was an ascetic who had given up all worldly pleasures and possessions to live a life of service to God.

Chagrin (noun) Definition:

embarrassment;mortification; disappointment

Context Sentence: Imagine my chagrin when I realized that I had worn mismatching shoes to school!

Chagrined (adjective)

Definition: ashamed; mortified

Context Sentence: When my egregious mistake was pointed out to me, I felt deeply chagrined.

Compunction (Noun)

Definition: regret; remorse; qualm; scruple

Usually used with “no” to indicate having no regret or remorse

Context Sentence: The girl felt no compunction about tattling on her younger brother when he broke her favorite toy.

Contrite (Adjective)

Definition: Showing deep regret and sorrow for wrongdoing; penitent; repentant; remorseful

Context Sentence: Believing the young offender to be truly contrite, the judge sentenced him to five years of probation and counseling instead of prison time.

Contrition (Noun) Definition: Repentance; remorse; penitence

Context Sentence: Many Nazi war criminals showed little to no contrition for the atrocities they committed during World War II.

Dejected (Adjective)

Definition: Sad; low in spirits; depressed; downcast

Context Sentence: During the NCAA tournament, Mrs. Custer is elated when UNC wins, but will be dejected if they lose.

Dejection (Noun) Definition: Sadness; depression; lowness of spirits

Context Sentence: I could tell my children were going to miss their father by the dejection that was evident on their faces as he left for his trip.

Disconsolate (Adjective)

Definition: Cheerless; inconsolable

Context Sentence: Hannah and Tyler were absolutely disconsolate when they found out that we were going to have to put our dog Buddy to sleep

Disgruntled (Adjective)

Definition: in bad humor; displeased; discontented

Context Sentence: Students often become disgruntled when they are assigned excessive homework.

Doleful (Adjective)

Definition: causing grief or sadness; mournful; lugubrious

Context Sentence: I was greatly affected by the doleful story of Wladyslaw Szpilman in the movie “The Pianist.”

Glum (Adjective) Definition: Moody; gloomy

Context Sentence: The rainy, dreary weather seemed to match Samantha’s glum disposition.

Keystone English 10 Honors

Vocabulary #7 –Words of Sadness, Pain, Grief etc.

PART 2 (13 words)

Lament (Verb) Definition: mourn; grieve

Context Sentence: Every year on 9/11, we lament the loss of lives that resulted from the tragic event of that day.

Lamentable (Adjective)

Definition: pitiable; rueful

Context Sentence: The reporter won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the lamentable hardships of families living in war-torn Iraq.

Maudlin (Adjective)

Definition: weakly sentimental and tearful

Context Sentence: Movies such as those based on Nicholas Spark’s novels are a bit to emotional and maudlin for my taste.

Nostalgia (Noun) Definition: a sense of yearning for the past

Context Sentence: Looking at photographs from my childhood, I am overcome with nostalgia.

Nostalgic (Adjective)

Definition: Homesick

Context Sentence: After being away at summer camp for two long weeks, Dave was definitely nostalgic.

Pathetic (Adjective)

Definition: Arousing pity

Context Sentence: Despite his pathetic physical condition, the wounded soldier smiled bravely for the news cameras.

Pathos (Noun) Definition: a quality in events, literature, music, art, etc. that arouses our pity

Context Sentence: The pathos of the final scene in the movie “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” moves many viewers to tears.

Pensive(Adjectiv

e) Definition: thoughtful in a sad or melancholy way.

Context Sentence: Unlike her outgoing, buoyant sister, Elizabeth was pensive and shy.

Plight (Noun) Definition: predicament; unfortunate circumstance

Context Sentence: Moved by the plight of thousands of displaced families who lost their homes in the flood, many people donated money and provisions to help those in need.

Poignant (Adjective)

Definition: painfully touching; haunting

Context Sentence: Chapter 3, when Eliezer is separated from his mother and little sister, is one of the saddest and most poignant chapters in the memoir, Night.

Sullen (Adjective) Definition: resentfully silent; morose

Context Sentence: After being grounded for breaking curfew, Ray was pouty and sullen for the remainder of the weekend.

Throes (Noun - Plural)

Definition: pangs; anguish

Context Sentence: Ginnifer experienced the throes of pain as she struggled to deal with her debilitating arthritis.

Tribulation (Noun)

Definition: Suffering; distress

Context Sentence: The 1845 potato famine was a time of great tribulation in Ireland.