woe

A serious problem or difficulty, often one of several.

• Their money woes are growing.
• The company's financial woes began last winter.
• More bad weather added to the farmers' woes.

Similar words: trouble, problem, misfortune

Common phrases: financial woe, economic woe, fresh woe

Very great sadness or suffering, or something that causes these feelings.

• Her face was full of woe.
• He told us a long tale of woe.
• The poem describes the mother's woe after losing her child.

Similar words: sorrow, misery, grief

Opposites: joy, happiness

Common phrases: full of woe, tale of woe, woe is me

Words wishing harm or suffering on someone.

• The prophet pronounced a woe.
• She uttered a woe against the cruel king.
• The ancient text contains several woes directed at dishonest rulers.

How to use it: woe to someone (Woe to those who betray their friends.)

Similar words: curse, malediction

Opposites: blessing

Common phrases: pronounce a woe, utter a woe, woe upon someone

A close friend, especially someone in your own group.

• He's my woe.
• I spent the evening with my woes.
• My woe has stayed beside me through everything.

Similar words: friend, buddy, homie

Opposites: enemy

Common phrases: my woe, with a woe, woe for life