The feeling: sadness

sad

A1 unhappy or sorry:

I’m so sad (that) you can’t come.
I was sad to hear that they’d split up.

(down) in the dumps

C2 unhappy:

​She’s a bit down in the dumps because she failed one of her exams.

nostalgia

C2 a feeling of pleasure and also slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past:

Some people feel nostalgia for their schooldays.
Hearing that song again filled him with nostalgia.
a wave (= sudden strong feeling) of nostalgia

distressed

C1 upset or worried:

She was deeply distressed by the news of his death.

frustrated

C1 feeling annoyed or less confident because you cannot achieve what you want:

Are you feeling frustrated in your present job?

dissatisfied

B2 not pleased with something; feeling that something is not as good as it should be:

If you’re dissatisfied with the service, why don’t you complain to the hotel manager?

disappointed

B1 unhappy because someone or something was not as good as you hoped or expected, or because something did not happen:

We were deeply disappointed at/about the result.
His parents were bitterly disappointed in/with him.
[ + (that) ] She was disappointed (that) they hadn’t phoned.
[ + to infinitive ] He was disappointed to find they’d already left.
If you’re expecting Dad to let you borrow his car, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

unhappy

A2 sad or not satisfied:

I was very unhappy with the service.
The last thing I wanted was to make you unhappy.
She just seems so unhappy and I don’t know what the solution is.
It was clear that he was unhappy about the decision.

a long face

If you have a long face, you look sad:

“Why do you have such a long face?” “My boyfriend doesn’t want to see me any more.”

have the blues

informal

to feel sad

sorry

A2 [ after verb ] feeling sadness, sympathy, or disappointment, especially because something unpleasant has happened or been done:

I’m just sorry about all the trouble I’ve caused her.
He’d really upset her and he didn’t seem at all sorry.
[ + (that) ] I’m sorry (that) you had such a difficult journey.
[ + to infinitive ] We were both sorry to hear you’ve been ill again.
I feel so sorry for their kids – it must be really hard for them.

ashamed

B1 feeling guilty or embarrassed about something you have done or about a quality in your character:

You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.
She ought to be thoroughly ashamed of herself – talking to her mother like that!
[ + to infinitive ] He was ashamed to admit to his mistake.
[ + that ] I was ashamed that I’d made so little effort.
I’m ashamed to be seen with you when you behave so badly!
I felt so ashamed of myself for making such a fuss.
I’m so ashamed of you (= embarrassed to be connected with you)!

remorseful

formal feeling sad and guilty

I’m still remorseful for having broken it.

regretful

showing that you feel sorry about something:

take pity (on sb)

to feel sorry for someone, and to do something that shows this:

We took pity on a couple of people waiting in the rain for a bus and gave them a lift.
I struggled up the steps with my bags until eventually someone took pity and helped me.

lonely

B1 unhappy because you are not with other people:

She gets lonely now that all the kids have left home.
He felt lonely and far from home.
I know what it’s like to be lonely, so I do feel for her.