The phrase "sad story" refers to a narrative or account that evokes feelings of sadness or sorrow. It typically portrays events or situations that are unfortunate or disheartening. Full definition
These statistics tell a very sad story of highly questionable stewardship within the institutional church. (redeeminggod.com)
Despite efforts to stop it, Swiss animal advocates suspect the fur trade may be the cause of sad stories about cats disappearing. (paws-li.org)
Without any humor in the story, this would be a very sad story about a destructive mix of personalities causing havoc in a family. (rottentomatoes.com)