Language tip of the week: making someone feel sad

In this weekly post, we bring more useful content from the Macmillan Dictionary to English language learners. In this series of language tips to accompany the Real Vocabulary theme we look at how you can expand your vocabulary in English by using different words and expressions instead of core vocabulary items.

This set of language tips will explore the words and phrases we use to talk about feelings. This week’s tip looks at adjectives for describing things that make someone feel sad:

sad making you feel sad:
Dad told us the sad news. ♦ I saw such a sad film the other day. ♦ It was one of the saddest sights I’ve ever seen.
unhappy an unhappy situation or experience makes you feel unhappy:
She had a very unhappy childhood. ♦ the end of an unhappy marriage ♦ Many people have unhappy memories of school.
miserable a miserable situation or experience makes you feel unhappy:
The weather was miserable. ♦ I spent a miserable six months living on my own.
depressing making you feel sad and negative:
I don’t watch the news – I find it too depressing. ♦ The weather was grey and depressing.
upsetting making you feel unhappy and as though you want to cry:
That’s one of the most upsetting things I’ve ever heard.
heartbreaking making you feel very sad or upset:
the heartbreaking story of a little girl who lost her family

Did you know that Macmillan Dictionary includes a full thesaurus? This page lists more ways to talk about ‘making someone feel sad‘.