Cool MateDejected vs Downhearted vs Sad
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Dejected
Beyond 10,000 (less common)B1adjective
Downhearted
Sad
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective
Most common: Sad
| Dejected | Downhearted | Sad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dɪˈdʒɛktɪd//🇺🇸 //dɪˈdʒɛktɪd// | 🇬🇧 /["/sæd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sæd/"]/ | |
| Meaning | Feeling sad and without hope. | Feeling unhappy or low in spirits. | |
| Example | After losing the game, he felt completely dejected. | - | She felt sad when her friend moved away. |
| Register | Neutral | - | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | - | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective | |
| Collocations | dejected mood, dejected expression, look dejected | - | appear, be, feel, extremely, fairly, very, about, be, seem, find something, extremely, fairly, very |
| Antonyms | elated, cheerful, happy | - | happy, joyful, cheerful |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'rejected' which means not accepted., Using it in contexts unrelated to emotions., Spelling it incorrectly as 'dejectted'. | - | Using 'saddened' incorrectly instead of 'sad'., Confusing 'sad' with 'satisfied'., Overusing it to describe situations that are merely disappointing. |
| Usage notes | Use 'dejected' in emotional contexts, often to describe someone who is disappointed. Avoid in overly casual situations. | - | Use 'sad' to describe a feeling or situation that causes unhappiness. It is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it in overly formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Dejected vs Downhearted vs Sad
What's the difference between Dejected, Downhearted, and Sad?
Dejected: Feeling sad and without hope. Downhearted: Sad: Feeling unhappy or low in spirits.
Which is more common: Dejected, Downhearted, and Sad?
Sad is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Dejected, Downhearted, and Sad?
Dejected is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Dejected, Downhearted, and Sad interchangeably?
Not always. Dejected, Downhearted, and Sad are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.