aggregate sadness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "aggregate sadness" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a collective or overall feeling of sadness, often in a context where multiple sources of sadness are combined or considered together. Example: "The community felt an aggregate sadness after the loss of their beloved leader, as many shared their grief and memories."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Some with sadness: Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath.

The New York Times - Sports

"Pain, regret and guilt mingled just under the surface," we're told of Greta's mom, "the aggregate of all her profound sadness".

The New York Times - Books

44 The transcriptions will subsequently be aggregated and submitted to the LIWC software, which compares each word of a given text to a dictionary arranged into 74 categories (eg, family words, sadness words) and reports total numbers of words and proportions of overall word use falling into the specific word categories.

BMJ Open

And sadness.

The New Yorker

Honour sadness.

The Guardian

Unspeakable sadness.

The New York Times

Now sadness".

The Guardian

Great sadness.

The New York Times

Is it sadness?

The Guardian - Film

"Just sadness overall".

The New York Times - Sports

Say, sadness?

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "aggregate sadness" to describe a widespread feeling of sorrow affecting a large group, especially when numerous contributing factors are involved. It is more formal than just saying "a lot of sadness".

Common error

Avoid using "aggregate sadness" to describe individual feelings of sadness. The phrase implies a collective or widespread sentiment, not a personal emotion. Ensure that you're representing the sadness as a unified experience across a population, not a singular incident.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "aggregate sadness" functions as a noun phrase where "aggregate" modifies "sadness". It serves to quantify or emphasize the collective nature of the sadness, indicating a combined or widespread feeling. According to Ludwig AI, this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "aggregate sadness" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a collective feeling of sorrow within a group. While not exceedingly common in everyday speech, it finds its place in more formal or analytical contexts such as news reporting or academic discourse. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, while related phrases like "collective grief" or "shared anguish" offer alternative ways to express a similar sentiment. When using this phrase, ensure that it accurately reflects a shared experience rather than individual emotions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collective grief

Focuses on the shared aspect of the sorrow, emphasizing the communal experience of loss.

accumulated sorrow

Highlights the gradual buildup of sadness over time, suggesting a layering effect.

overall despair

Shifts the focus to a more intense and encompassing feeling of hopelessness and misery.

total wretchedness

Emphasizes a state of extreme unhappiness and suffering, suggesting a complete lack of comfort.

combined melancholy

Uses a more subtle term for sadness, focusing on a pensive and reflective form of sorrow experienced together.

shared anguish

Highlights the intense emotional pain that is experienced and felt by a group.

mass dejection

Conveys a sense of widespread low spirits and discouragement affecting a large number of people.

united sorrow

Focuses on the unified aspect of sadness, where individuals come together in their shared grief.

general unhappiness

Indicates a broad and pervasive feeling of dissatisfaction and lack of joy.

communal mourning

Specifically refers to the process of grieving together as a community, often after a significant loss.

FAQs

How to use "aggregate sadness" in a sentence?

You can use "aggregate sadness" to describe a shared feeling of sorrow within a community or group, such as "The town felt an aggregate sadness after the factory closure".

What can I say instead of "aggregate sadness"?

You can use alternatives like "collective grief", "overall despair", or "shared anguish" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. See also "collective grief", "overall despair", and "shared anguish".

Is "aggregate sadness" a common phrase in everyday conversation?

"Aggregate sadness" is more formal and less frequently used in casual conversation compared to simpler phrases like "a lot of sadness" or "general sorrow". It is better suited for formal writing or analytical contexts.

What's the difference between "aggregate sadness" and "individual sadness"?

"Aggregate sadness" refers to a collective feeling experienced by a group, while "individual sadness" describes a personal emotion felt by one person. The key difference is the scope: one is communal, the other is personal.