(a/the) sad truth
Meaning(s)
1. something true which brings distress, something which is upsetting
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
it is/was a sad truth for him/her to take/accept/swallow, face/face up to the sad truth
Analysis
The sad truth is an expression used to say something is a regrettable or upsetting reality. This phrase shows the speaker's feelings towards the rest of the information they are about to deliver or the facts they are sharing. You might use it to deliver bad news: "The sad truth is we can't afford to keep as many staff as we used to"; or to express an attitude of regret towards the facts: "The reality that 5,000 children are homeless is a sad truth we need to address". This is a formal expression used both in professional and social contexts.
Social Examples (Basic)
- The uncovering of abuse in the Roman Catholic Church is a sad truth which has upset a lot of people.
- A lot of people just need to face the sad truth that we don't always get what we want in life.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- The sad truth is, with the decline in the economy, we will have to let some of our staff go.
- It is a sad truth that some of our in-house staff have neglected to observe protocol and have left some of our client's personal information at risk of getting into the wrong hands.