Saddest Words or Phrases in the English Language. Image Credit: ScoopVenue

10 Saddest Words and Phrases in English Language

English has developed over the course of more than 1,400 years. It is the third most widespread native language in the world, after Standard Chinese and Spanish. It is the most widely learned second language and is either the official language or one of the official languages in almost 60 sovereign states. The vocabulary of English is vast, and counting exactly how many words English has, is impossible.

Let’s get back to our main topic “Saddest Words and Phrases in the English Language.” There are many beautiful and blissful words in the English language that can make people laugh and smile. At the same time, there are also some really sad and unhappy words and phrases which do the total opposite.

These are the top 10 saddest words or phrases you would not want to read or hear. That is because these words or phrases will end up making you feel unhappy or disappoint you. When the time comes, all we can do is prepare for them.

Back to School

Back to School. Image Credit: Mommyish

Back to School. Image Credit: Mommyish

When these words rear kids head, it means vacation time is over for children. If you randomly ask a group of kids if they’d rather be hanging out at a park with their friends or wait for the school bus at the bus stop in the morning, it’s a fair bet that they’ll pick the park.

Goodbye

Goodbye. Image Credit: Simply Human

Goodbye. Image Credit: Simply Human

Adios, adieu, sayonara, or cheerio. No matter what language you say it in, Goodbye is a word most of us never want to hear someone say to us. Goodbye refers to finality or when breaking up, in some cases. An astute poster on Quora wrote, “You say (goodbye) all the time, but you never know which one is the last.”

Regrets

Regrets. Image Credit: OpnLttr

Regrets. Image Credit: OpnLttr

Regrets mean to “feel sorrow or remorse (for an act, disappointment, fault etc.)” It can hit you at your heart, whether it is something you did in the past, pondering about a loss, or disappointment. Some regrets hurt a lot more than anything else in life. We all have regrets in our life.

Loneliness

Loneliness. Image Credit: Sanpatrignano

Loneliness. Image Credit: Sanpatrignano

Loneliness is one of the most distressing and depressing emotions and feelings a person can have. Being alone means that there is no one there for you or with you. If you’re lonely it inherently means you’re sad. There’s no possible way to put a positive spin on loneliness. That’s why it is considered as one of the saddest words in the English language.

Love

Love. Image Credit: Pixhome

Love. Image Credit: Pixhome

While love can be beautiful for many people, ultimately, it is one of the saddest emotions and feelings in the world. Being in love is one of the beautiful feelings one can ever feel but, there is a flip side to the coin. If love is unrequited, it’s the worst, and that’s why it’s on this list.

Melancholy

Melancholy. Image Credit: YouTube

Melancholy. Image Credit: YouTube

Melancholy is a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression. What’s really interesting about being or feeling melancholy is that some typical ones have no obvious cause for it. There are lots of brooding and sad thoughts which accompany this emotion.

Heartbroken

Heartbroken. Image Credit: OnMogul

Heartbroken. Image Credit: OnMogul

Heartbroken means to suffer from overwhelming distress. The dictionary defines someone being heartbroken as a person “crushed with sorrow or grief.” It is a tough word. Those who have been heartbroken can truly relate how powerful this word really is. We’ve all been there at one time or another—you know it as soon as you feel it, and you can’t wait for it to go away. This concept tends to rear its ugly head on February 14.

Terminal

Terminal. Image Credit: VideoBlocks

Terminal. Image Credit: VideoBlocks

The terminal is never a good word when used in a medical context. When it applies to a disease or a person’s health, being terminal means death will soon follow. And there is nothing sadder than death. It is another word one can never put a good spin on.

It Might Have Been

A quote on 'It might have been'. Image Credit: little misconceptions

It might have been. Image Credit: little misconceptions

‘It might have been’ is a phrase that often gets tinged with regret. There is a poem titled “Maud Muller” which contains the sad and hurtful phrase “It might have been.” The poem was written by John Greenleaf Whittier and it reads “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been!” The author understood that in life, there is nothing more depressing and bittersweet, than lamenting what could have been.

Party’s over

Party's over. Image Credit: Smosh

Party’s over. Image Credit: Smosh

If you’re having an awesome time in a club, gathering or life in general, the last words you want to hear are “Party’s over.” That’s because they absolutely mean that the fun must end. Kids, teens, and adults never want the fun to be over.

There you go, these are the saddest words and phrases in the English language. What phrases or words make you the saddest? Let us know through the comments below.

 

Reference: Online Spellcheck Blog