dour
adjective
2
: obstinate, unyielding
an insistent hunger for learning and a dour … determination to achieve it—
Walter Moberly
Walter Moberly
dourly
adverb
dourness
noun
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
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
Through it all, Stanley smirks, Criss chuckles, and Simmons maintains his dour demeanor.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
That this cinematic universe fizzled like a spell gone awry is a shame because Sapkowski’s world-building is thrilling and original — funnier and more creature driven than the dour family dealings on the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
The plans show defense spending next year would stay largely static, and would be funded with tax hikes amid increasingly dour growth forecasts.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
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Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Through it all, Stanley smirks, Criss chuckles, and Simmons maintains his dour demeanor.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
That this cinematic universe fizzled like a spell gone awry is a shame because Sapkowski’s world-building is thrilling and original — funnier and more creature driven than the dour family dealings on the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
The plans show defense spending next year would stay largely static, and would be funded with tax hikes amid increasingly dour growth forecasts.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dour
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dour. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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