widower

This term specifically identifies a male who has lost his spouse, serving as the masculine counterpart to widow. It carries a heavy emotional weight, often evoking themes of solitude, grief, and the transition to a single state of existence after a long-term partnership.

While the word is descriptive of a legal and social status, it is frequently used in narratives to highlight a character's vulnerability or their history of loss. It is a neutral term in terms of formality, appropriate for both legal documents and casual conversation.