mope

verb

ˈmōp 

moped; moping

intransitive verb

1

: to give oneself up to brooding : become listless or dejected

I was feeling depressed and just moped around all day.

2

: to move slowly or aimlessly : dawdle

He moped to school gloomy and sad …

—Mark Twain

3

archaic : to act in a dazed or stupid manner

moper noun

mopey

ˈmō-pē 

adjective

Synonyms of mope

• linger
• delay
• crawl
• drag
• poke

Examples of mope in a Sentence

Like a little child, he often moped when he didn't get what he wanted.

we were in a rush, and the Sunday driver in front of us was just moping along

Recent Examples on the Web

The Canucks owned all of those top picks that year because their GM, Brian Burke, didn’t sit around and mope about bad luck. —Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 6 May 2026

At the conclusion of the episode, Greg mopes at home, tossing pennies into a jar from afar. —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026

Police investigators said the woman was driving north on Carter Drive on a 2026 Yamaha Vino moped when she was hit by a 2014 Nissan Sentra. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026

In other words, if Hollywood had an awards show for public corruption trials, this case would be at home watching it and moping that it didn’t get nominated. —Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete mop, mope fool

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for mope

• cope
• dope
• grope
• lope
• nope
• rope
• scope
• shope
• slope
• soap
• stope
• swope

Kids Definition

mope

1 of 2 verb

ˈmōp 

moped; moping

1

: to be in a dull and gloomy state

2

: to move slowly and aimlessly : dawdle

moper noun

mope

2 of 2 noun

1

: a person who lacks energy or enthusiasm

2

plural : low spirits : blues

a fit of the mopes