sad

/ˈsæd/

//ˈsæd// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sad" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sad” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,536 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#1,536
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Emotionally negative.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sad vs so
33% similar
sad vs se
33% similar
sad vs SC
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sad
PropertyValue
Headwordsad
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsæd/
Letters3
Frequency rank#1,536
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sad” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sad lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sad is 3 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsæd/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,536 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

sad doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "so", "se", "SC", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sad, from Old English sæd (“satisfied, full, sated, unable to handle more, weary”), from Proto-West Germanic *sad, from Proto-Germanic *sadaz (“sated, satisfied”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- (“to satiate, satisfy”). Cognate to Sater… The correct English form is sad, spelled S-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Emotionally negative.
  2. 2
    Emotionally negative.
  3. 3
    Emotionally negative.
  4. 4
    Emotionally negative.
  5. 5
    Emotionally negative.
  6. 6
    Sated, having had one's fill; satisfied, weary.
  7. 7
    Steadfast, valiant.
  8. 8
    Dignified, serious, grave.
  9. 9
    Naughty; troublesome; wicked.
  10. 10
    Unfashionable; socially inadequate or undesirable.
  11. 11
    Soggy (to refer to pastries).
  12. 12
    Heavy; weighty; ponderous; close; hard.

Etymology

From Middle English sad, from Old English sæd (“satisfied, full, sated, unable to handle more, weary”), from Proto-West Germanic *sad, from Proto-Germanic *sadaz (“sated, satisfied”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- (“to satiate, satisfy”). Cognate to Saterland Frisian sääd, West Frisian sêd, Dutch zat, German Low German satt, German satt. The interjection sense is a reference to frequent usage of the word as an interjection in the tweets of Donald Trump, President of the United States (2017–2021; a Trumpism.

Synonyms

discomforteddistresseduncomfortableunhappypoignanttouchingatrabiliaryatrabiliousblithelessdispiritedbluebummed outchapfallencheerlesschopfallencrestfallencut updampdejecteddepresseddespondentdisgruntleddisconsolatedishearteneddismaldolefuldolesomedowndown in the dumpsdown in the mouthdowncastdownhearteddownsomedullelegiacelegiousforlorngloomyglumgrief-strickengrievingheavy-heartedheartsoreheartsickinconsolableinfelicitousjawfallenjoylesslachrymoselamentfullowlow-spiritedlugubriouslumpishmelancholicmelancholymiserablemoodymopeymorosemournfulpassionateplaintivePlutonianPlutonicqueruloussadsaddenedsaturnineshatteredsolemnsombresorrowfulsorrow-riddensorrowsomespiritlesssullenthreneticthreneticaltristetristfuluncheerfuluncheeryunconsolableunlivelywistfulwoewoebegonewoefulwretched

Antonyms

blissed outblissfulcock-a-hoopcontentdelightedecstaticelatedexcitedexultantgaygladgleefulhappyjovialjoyfulon cloud nineoverjoyedover the moonpacificperkyplacatedpleasedsatisfiedthrilledtickled pinktriumphant

This word in other languages

triste(Español)triste(Français)trist(Deutsch)triste(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sad"?
"sad" is spelled S-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsæd/.
What does "sad" mean?
As an adjective, "sad" means: Emotionally negative.
What words are commonly confused with "sad"?
"sad" is commonly confused with "so", "se", "SC". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sad"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sad" is /ˈsæd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sad"?
From Middle English sad, from Old English sæd (“satisfied, full, sated, unable to handle more, weary”), from Proto-West Germanic *sad, from Proto-Germanic *sadaz (“sated, satisfied”), from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂- (“to satiate, satisfy”). Cognat... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sad”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsæd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “so” - see the side-by-side comparison. sad vs so
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list