English Explanatory Dictionary

sullen

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having a brooding ill temper; sulky.
  2. Gloomy; dismal; foreboding.
  3. Sluggish; slow.
  4. Mischievous; malignant; unpropitious.
  5. Obstinate; intractable.
noun
  1. One who is solitary, or lives alone; a hermit.
  2. Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness.
verb
  1. To make sullen.

Pronunciation

sŭlʹən /ˈsʌlən/ En-us-sullen.ogg

Word forms

sullen sullener sullenest sullens sullening sullened

Etymology

From Middle English soleyn, from Anglo-Norman soleyn (“alone”), from Old French sole (“single, sole, alone”), from Latin sōlus (“by oneself alone”). The change in meaning from "single" to morose occurred in Middle English.

Synonyms

glum gloomy grouchy gruff ill-tempered ill-humored moody morose sulky sullen broody forlorn melancholy cheerless comfortless bleak dark depressing desolate dire disconsolate dismal doleful dolesome drear drearisome dreary dreich gayless gray gloomsome grim joyless lack-laughter lugubrious mirthless miserable no joke saturnine solemn somber sombre spiritless sunless uncheerful uncheery unhappy unmerry wintry woeful atrabiliary atrabilious blitheless dispirited blue bummed out chapfallen chopfallen crestfallen cut up

Antonyms

cheerful content lighthearted pleased

Related words

peevish

Derived words

sullenly sullenness unsullen
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