Dictionary

sadly en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈsædli/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English sadly; equivalent to sad + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a sad manner; sorrowfully.
   • “Only when we climb up can we see it,” he said sadly.
2. Unfortunately, sad to say.
   • Sadly, the two were never to meet again.
   • If you think you’re getting out of this place alive, you are sadly mistaken, my friend.
   • Before kick-off, a section of Chelsea's support sadly let themselves and their club down by noisily interrupting the silence held in memory of the Hillsborough disaster and for Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini, who collapsed and died after suffering a heart attack during a Serie B game on Saturday. 2012 April 15, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea”, in BBC:
   • Sadly, the trip to the United Kingdom took all my frequent flyer miles. Because of that, I was unable to travel to Hawaii and investigate reports of kinky behavior among the ancient Hawaiian people involving cheap flowered shirts and macadamia nuts. 2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 43:
3. In a manner to cause sadness; badly; terribly.
   • The people of Ebeltoft were once sadly plagued by them, as they plundered their pantries in a most unconscionable manner; so they consulted a very wise and pious man and his advice was, that they should hang a bell in the steeple of the church. 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 161:
4. (dated) Very much (of a desire etc.); dearly; urgently.
   • "Don't ask me: don't make me talk of it," she answered. "I'm not fit now. I have been cruelly used and cruelly wronged. You will be kinder than ever, if you will walk on fast, and not speak to me. I sadly want to quiet myself, if I can." 1859, Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White:
5. (obsolete) Deeply, completely.
   • By my feythe sayd syre launcelot in that pauelione wil I lodge alle this nyghte / and soo there he alyghte doune and tayed his hors to the pauelione / and there he vnarmed hym / and there he fond a bedde / and layd hym theryn / and felle on slepe sadly 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book VI:

Forms

Deriveds

unsadly

Synonyms

regrettably (unfortunately) · unfortunately (unfortunately) · sad to say (unfortunately) · ruefully (in a sad manner) · heavily (in a sad manner) · mournfully (in a sad manner) · alas (unfortunately) · sorrowfully (in a sad manner) · regretfully (unfortunately)

Translations (30)

gl tristemente (in a sad manner) · ru тоскли́во (in a sad manner) · ca tristament (in a sad manner) · pl smutno (in a sad manner) · de traurig (in a sad manner) · nb sørgmodig (in a sad manner) · nrf tristément (in a sad manner) · enm sadly (in a sad manner) · de traurigerweise (in a sad manner) · eo malgaje (in a sad manner) · ro cu tristețe (in a sad manner) · hu szomorúan (in a sad manner) · ro trist (in a sad manner) · hu búsan (in a sad manner) · pt tristemente (in a sad manner) · ru печа́льно (in a sad manner) · nb bedrøvet (in a sad manner) · fi surullisesti (in a sad manner) · hu bánatosan (in a sad manner) · fr tristement (in a sad manner) · eo triste (in a sad manner) · ru гру́стно (in a sad manner) · es con alma en pena (in a sad manner) · ru уны́ло (in a sad manner) · tr üzgünce (in a sad manner) · nb trist (in a sad manner) · enm febly (in a sad manner) · es tristemente (in a sad manner) · es luctuosamente (in a sad manner) · nb vemodig (in a sad manner)

wikipedia: sentence adverb