dour

adjective

ˈdau̇(-ə)r  ˈdu̇r 

1

: stern, harsh

a dour expression on her face

2

: obstinate, unyielding

… an insistent hunger for learning and a dour … determination to achieve it.

—Walter Moberly

3

: gloomy, sullen

a dour disposition

dourly adverb

dourness noun

Synonyms of dour

• gruff
• grim
• stern
• intimidating
• fierce
• rugged
• bleak
• hostile

Examples of dour in a Sentence

She had a dour expression on her face.

the dour mood of the crowd

Recent Examples on the Web

But Cheney rarely tried to combat the image painted by critics and comedians of him as a dour partisan, dark and forbidding. —Susan Page, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025

The ruthless killings and dark creature designs in Bloodlust are chilling to watch, and with a story set almost entirely at night, its environments feel especially dour, atmospheric, and inventively dangerous (for example, the ninjalike enemy who strikes at D through shadows). —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

While the power opportunities are bright, the current earnings reports are much more dour as the oil sector slogs along with weakened activity. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025

Premier League football in the 2000s could be dramatic and explosive, but what the nostalgia for that era ignores is the number of dour, sterile games there were, many of them settled by a goal from a set piece. —Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin durus hard — more at during

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dour

• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• horsepower
• manpower
• mayflower
• safflower
• sunflower
• wallflower
• watchtower

Kids Definition

dour

adjective

ˈdu̇(ə)r  ˈdau̇(ə)r 

: looking or being stern or sullen

dourly adverb

dourness noun