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” sits in 20 confusable pairs (corpus #1,536) as an adjective. The look-alike neighbours are the real trap.

#1,536
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - Emotionally negative.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sad · sad · English

sad · rank #1,536 · 0 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,536
  • LEN-MID 3 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH runs

Nearest frequency peer: runs (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “sad”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “sad” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026

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.

Easy to mix with look-alikes

The spelling risk for sad is neighbouring look-alikes ("so", "se", …), not just typos; it is anadjective pronounced /ˈsæd/. Frequency #1,536 among 6,566 “S” headwords. 12 recorded senses keep meaning in play.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how sad appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. She gets sad when he's away.
  2. Firſt were we ſad, fearing you would not come, / Now ſadder that you come ſo vnprouided:[…]

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "sad", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 3 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

lie#1,5301st#1,549bus#1,554tom#1,582

What to do next

You've looked up "sad". Here's where to go from here.

  • "sad" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "so". View pair
  • Usage frequency rank #1,536 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "S" letter cohort. S–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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