saddened for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "saddened for" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct preposition would be "by" or "about" to express the cause of sadness. Example: "I was saddened by the news of her passing."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

"I'm very saddened for the church.

The New York Times

We are enormously saddened for Jules over the loss of his dearest life companion.

The New York Times

"We feel very saddened for the women who might suffer as a result".

The New York Times - Health

We are saddened for the family of the deceased young man and still believe that the court's dismissal of the original indictment was overly cautious".

The New York Times

"I am ashamed and saddened for disappointing and distracting my family, my teammates, the entire Florida Marlins organization and baseball fans".

The New York Times

"I am very saddened for all involved and especially the victims," said Kelly Shafer, a former baseball coach of Mr. Roberts from Oregon City.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

USM Alger issued a statement saying that "this terrible news is saddening for football in our nation and in Cameroon, and arrives just like a bombshell".

The Guardian - Sport

And the death in a Thai prison of "Uncle SMS," as reported by Thomas Fuller, my colleague in Bangkok, was deeply saddening for many Thais yearning for a fully oxygenated democracy.

The New York Times

That was saddening for me as I'd spent a fair bit of time over the past couple of decades championing crime fiction as the one art form that really tells it like it is.

The Guardian

One of those witnesses, a Briton named Tom Dale, sent the following statement to The Lede on Tuesday from Cairo, where he now works as a journalist: The verdict in Rachel's case is saddening for all those who knew Rachel, and for all who believe in what she stood for.

The New York Times

FW de Klerk – the South African president who freed Mandela, shared the Nobel peace prize with him and paved the way for him to become South Africa's first post-apartheid head of state – said the news was deeply saddening for South Africa and the world.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using stronger verbs like "grieved" or "mourned" to convey a deeper sense of sorrow, especially when discussing loss.

Common error

Avoid using "for" after "saddened." The correct prepositions are typically "by" or "about". Using "for" is grammatically incorrect and can sound awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "saddened for" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically intended to express sympathy or sorrow towards someone or something. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this usage is not grammatically correct in standard English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

12%

Huffington Post

10%

Less common in

BBC

3%

Independent

3%

The Guardian

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "saddened for" is used to express sympathy or sorrow, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct alternatives are "saddened by" or "saddened about". Although commonly found in informal contexts and news media, it's advisable to avoid this phrase in formal writing. Instead, opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness. Remember to use the preposition "by" or "about" to accurately convey your feelings of sadness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

saddened by

Replaces "for" with the correct preposition "by" to indicate the cause of sadness.

saddened about

Uses "about" instead of "for" to express sadness regarding a situation.

felt sorrow for

Emphasizes the feeling of sorrow directed towards someone or something.

felt sadness for

Similar to "felt sorrow for", highlighting the emotion of sadness.

was saddened to hear about

Specifies that the sadness is a result of hearing certain news.

expressed sadness regarding

A more formal way of saying someone showed sadness about something.

felt sympathy for

Indicates a feeling of compassion and understanding for someone's suffering.

was sorry for

Expresses regret or compassion for a situation or person.

grieved for

Indicates a deeper sense of sorrow, often associated with loss.

mourned for

Implies a formal or prolonged expression of sorrow, typically for the deceased.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say I feel sadness about something?

The correct preposition to use with "saddened" is "by" or "about". Say "saddened by" or "saddened about" instead of "saddened for".

What can I say instead of "saddened for"?

You can use phrases like "saddened by", "saddened about", or "felt sorrow for" to express a similar sentiment.

Which is correct, "saddened for" or "saddened by"?

"Saddened by" is the grammatically correct option. "Saddened for" is generally considered incorrect.

How can I use "saddened by" in a sentence?

You can say, "I was saddened by the news of the accident" or "She was saddened by his departure".