sadden

/ˈsædən/

//ˈsædən// verb

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

"sadden" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sadden” is uncommon English (frequency #90,924 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#90,924
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make sad or unhappy.

Key facts for sadden
PropertyValue
Headwordsadden
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈsædən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#90,924
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sadden” 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). sadden lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

sadden is uncommon English at frequency #90,924 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈsædən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

sadden has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English saddenen, equivalent to sad + -en. The correct English form is sadden, spelled S-A-D-D-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make sad or unhappy.
  2. 2
    To become sad or unhappy.
  3. 3
    To darken a color during dyeing.
  4. 4
    To render heavy, hard, or cohesive; to compress or thicken.

Etymology

From Middle English saddenen, equivalent to sad + -en.

Synonyms

aggrieveattristbegloombegrievebesorrowgrievepainbring downcome down oncontristatedarkendashdejectdepressdesolatedispiritengrieveforsetget downgrievenmoanoppressrepentruesaddensadden uptristitiateungladdenunhappyupset

Antonyms

gladden

This word in other languages

apenar(Español)attrister(Français)betrüben(Deutsch)entristecer(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 "sadden"?
"sadden" is spelled S-A-D-D-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsædən/.
What does "sadden" mean?
As a verb, "sadden" means: To make sad or unhappy.
How do you pronounce "sadden"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sadden" is /ˈsædən/. 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 "sadden"?
From Middle English saddenen, equivalent to sad + -en. 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 “sadden”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-D-D-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsædən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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