such a sadness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "such a sadness" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a strong feeling of sorrow or grief in a particular situation. Example: "After hearing the news of her passing, there was such a sadness that enveloped the entire community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"It's such a sadness that you think you've seen a film on your fucking telephone".

The New Yorker

I have such a sadness about what he had to endure, but out of that has come so much good," said Elliott.

BBC

I told the nurse, "these are the movements we have been telling you about". My eyes are filled with tears again, this time with such a sadness and a worry for my son.

University of Chicago

"Such a sadness, such a fear to leave the house," he said.

Los Angeles Times

Lyons gives an assured portrayal of Timothea that helps reveal how this woman could be drawn to a sensitive, naive Irishman who has such "a sadness in [his] happiness".

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Both those numbers reflect such a widespread sadness that, as our neighbors, we wish we could help.

The New York Times

Ms. Feibel said that day "was such a mixture sadness over the state of journalism, a lot of friends lost their jobs, and there was a whole overlay of excitement of being with Eric".

The New York Times

However, I sense such a profound sadness on the part of Arnold and his wife that their beautiful pool is not appreciated nor enjoyed by their children and grandchildren.

The New York Times

That afternoon, while our sweet Katerina was still in diapers, I felt such a deep sadness, scared for Katerina's future, because this genetic disorder is one in more than a million.

HuffPost

Still, I'm not sure I expected such a deep sadness to wash over me as Amber Holcomb learned Thursday night -- in a show that also featured performances by David Cook, will.i.am and Harry Connick Jr. -- that she'd just missed having the heroes' homecomings the other three contenders will enjoy.

Los Angeles Times

I'm no art critic, so I won't test your patience with my views, but what struck me when I visited Personnes was how Boltanski has made these piles of crumpled jackets and faded skirts convey such an intense sadness.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "such a sadness" to express a noticeable and significant feeling of sorrow, often in response to specific events or situations. It effectively conveys the impact of the sadness.

Common error

Avoid using "such a sadness" in overly casual conversations. While grammatically correct, it can sound overly dramatic or stilted in very informal settings. Simpler expressions might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "such a sadness" functions as a noun phrase that intensifies the emotion of sadness. It typically acts as a subject complement or object, describing the quality or extent of the feeling. As seen in Ludwig, the phrase effectively conveys a strong sense of sorrow.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "such a sadness" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express a significant feeling of sorrow or grief. While infrequent in overall usage, as seen from Ludwig, it appears most commonly in news and media contexts. The phrase's effectiveness lies in its ability to emphasize the depth of emotion, making it suitable for descriptive writing and sensitive discussions. Although grammatically correct, Ludwig AI suggests avoiding its overuse in overly informal conversations to maintain appropriate tone and register. Alternative phrases like ""deep sorrow"" or ""profound sadness"" can offer similar emotional weight with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a profound sadness

Replaces "such a" with "a profound", emphasizing the depth of the sadness.

a deep sadness

Replaces "such a" with "a deep", highlighting the intensity of the feeling.

a great sadness

Substitutes "such a" with "a great", indicating a significant degree of sorrow.

intense sorrow

Replaces "sadness" with "sorrow", offering a synonym with a similar emotional weight and changes the article.

deep sorrow

Replaces "sadness" with "sorrow", and "such a" with "deep", intensifying the expression.

extreme grief

Substitutes "sadness" with "grief", denoting a more intense and prolonged sorrow, also changes the article.

profound grief

Replaces "sadness" with "grief", emphasizing the depth of the emotion, and replaces "such a" with "profound".

a wave of sadness

Uses "wave of sadness" to suggest a sudden and overwhelming feeling of sadness.

a sense of sorrow

Expresses the feeling as a "sense of sorrow", using a more formal tone.

an overwhelming sadness

Modifies "sadness" with "overwhelming", conveying a feeling that is difficult to manage, also changes the article.

FAQs

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

You can use "such a sadness" to describe a deep feeling of sorrow. For example, "There was "such a sadness" in her eyes after she heard the news".

What are some alternatives to "such a sadness"?

Alternatives include "deep sorrow", "profound sadness", or "intense grief", depending on the intensity and context you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "such sadness" instead of "such a sadness"?

While "such sadness" is grammatically acceptable, ""such a sadness"" is more common when referring to a specific instance or feeling. The use of the article 'a' emphasizes the individual experience of sadness.

When is it appropriate to use "such a sadness" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize the magnitude or depth of the sadness. It can be used in descriptive writing, narratives, or when discussing emotional experiences, especially in more formal or reflective contexts.