evoke sadness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "evoke sadness" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about a person, place, situation, or anything else that has the ability to bring about a feeling of sadness in someone. For example: "The old house was filled with memories that evoked sadness."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

If it is sad, then you may want your melody to evoke sadness (by slowing it down or adding some minor chords, for example) or you might want to add a twist and combine sad lyrics to upbeat music in order to create a sense of tension and ambiguity.

WikiHow

The poetry of cinematography fully realised, combined with a genuine ability to evoke sadness, fear and guilt, make for one of the most emotionally provocative titles ever.

The Guardian - Tech

It was so odd in some respects because when people face death it seems like something that should evoke sadness, but all I felt was shock and a bit of anger.

Huffington Post

Blue is also a very calming color in its lighter shades; periwinkle blue, baby blue, and your average blue is a great decorating choice; however, navy and royal blue evoke sadness in some.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"I have for six weeks listened to the songs of these people," he told the crowd, songs that more often than not evoked "sadness and despair".

The New York Times

Set out in erotic tableaus, sewn together in cruelly jammed clusters, shrouded under old blankets and afghans, they evoked sadness and anger in viewers, of an intensity that surprised Kelley, who meant them to register as provocative but emotionally ambiguous.

The New York Times - Arts

New Jersey Sprawling across 130 acres beside the Cooper River in Camden, Harleigh Cemetery, which opened in 1885, is a Victorian gathering of obelisks, mausoleums, angels and other graveside statuary that evoke grief, sadness, long life and virtue.

The New York Times

7 p.m., Orensanz Center for the Arts, 172 Norfolk Street, Lower East Side, ticketmaster.com or [phone]; $20. (Sinagra) LOW (Tonight and Monday) For more than a decade, this Duluth, Minn., trio has been writing storm-cloud songs that evoke expansive sadness and long, cold distance.

The New York Times

Other images, of the vapors drifting away and exposing the now-empty Launching Pad 39-A, evoked the sadness and uncertainty of what is left behind at the end of an era.

The New York Times - Science

The dominant reaction that the video evokes is sadness at how misguided we appear when we are forced to look in the mirror at our digitally controlled lives and an incredulity at how much technology has taken away from rather than enhanced our life's experiences.

Huffington Post

Love is a more appropriate emotion to evoke here than sadness.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "evoke sadness" when you want to describe something that brings about a feeling of sadness in a subtle or indirect way. This phrase is particularly useful when discussing art, music, or literature.

Common error

Avoid using "evoke sadness" in situations that are already explicitly sad or tragic. The phrase works best when the sadness is implied or hinted at, not when it's the primary focus.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evoke sadness" functions as a verb phrase, where "evoke" acts as a transitive verb requiring a direct object ("sadness"). It describes the act of bringing about a feeling or emotion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "evoke sadness" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe something that subtly brings about feelings of sadness. As Ludwig AI points out, it is indeed valid in written English. While relatively infrequent in general usage, "evoke sadness" finds its place in various contexts, including news articles, wikis and scientific literature. Its related phrases include alternatives like "arouse sorrow" and "stir up melancholy", each contributing slight shades of meaning. When employing "evoke sadness", aim for contexts where the sadness is implied rather than overtly stated, and consider less dramatic wording for explicitly tragic circumstances. This will ensure your writing remains impactful and emotionally resonant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

elicit sorrow

More formal alternative with a similar meaning.

arouse sorrow

Focuses more on awakening a deep feeling of sorrow rather than a general sense of sadness.

generate sorrow

Emphasizes the creation of sadness as a direct result of something.

stir up melancholy

Suggests a gentle, reflective sadness, like a pensive mood.

call forth sadness

A slightly more poetic or figurative way of expressing the idea.

instill sorrow

Suggests a gradual or subtle introduction of sadness.

induce melancholy

Like "stir up melancholy", but slightly more formal and clinical.

trigger grief

Implies a more intense and specific sadness, often related to loss.

prompt grief

Similar to "trigger grief" but may suggest a slightly less intense reaction.

create a feeling of sadness

More descriptive and less direct than "evoke sadness".

FAQs

How can I use "evoke sadness" in a sentence?

You can use "evoke sadness" to describe something that subtly brings about feelings of sadness. For example, "The minor chords in the song "evoked sadness" in the listener".

What phrases are similar to "evoke sadness"?

Alternatives to "evoke sadness" include "arouse sorrow", "stir up melancholy", or "elicit sorrow", each having slight nuances in meaning.

Is "evoke sadness" a formal or informal expression?

"Evoke sadness" is generally suitable for neutral to formal contexts. In very informal settings, simpler phrases might be preferred.

What's the difference between "evoke sadness" and "cause sadness"?

"Evoke sadness" implies a more subtle and indirect causation of sadness, while "cause sadness" suggests a more direct and explicit action leading to sadness.