brooding 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of broodingnext
1
as in moping

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2
as in pregnant

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Dissimilar Words

brooding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of brood
as in sitting
to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop don't disturb the hen while she's brooding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brooding
Adjective
Its brooding, cyberpunk aesthetic is a strong visual choice for telling the story of a former Sith lord whose double-bladed lightsaber dazzled so many viewers in The Phantom Menace. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 26 July 2026 Though Hunt and Pacquin rightly won all the plaudits, Neill memorably played the brooding and jealous Alisdair. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Verb
The songs on Petal are mostly moody midtempo electro-chill, brooding rather than banging. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 Sumptuous staging, by Mary Zimmerman, evokes the brooding chiaroscuro of Artemisia Gentileschi’s paintings, while Didi Romero relishes every commedia dell’arte lazzo as the big-haired Duchessa. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for brooding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brooding
  1. peevish
  2. pregnant
  3. sitting
  4. irritable
  5. gravid
  6. spawning
  7. irascible
  8. expectant
Adjective
  • Then, after Erica has a peevish moment with Scotty, the gang hears about the landing party’s prehistoric adventures over drinks.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 July 2026
  • The great speculators became talkative and communicative or dull, sullen, silent, and peevish.
    — Owen Lamont, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of peevish
Adjective
  • The free meals program aims to combat malnutrition and reduce childhood stunting by providing meals to nearly 90 million students, toddlers and pregnant women.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Babies are born recognizing the language the pregnant woman spoke.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of pregnant
Verb
  • Water could exist beneath a chokingly thick atmosphere, as high-pressure ice, or sitting above an inhospitable interior.
    — Alix Freckelton, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Upstairs, the entirety of the tiny cottage is the apartment’s primary suite, surrounded by outdoor space, including a sitting area with its own wood-burning fireplace.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sitting
Adjective
  • As the fascination with Ernetti grows into something unhealthy, Béatrice subtly grows more tired, more distracted, more irritable and desperate for answers, small changes Sellier conveys with a smart sense of restraint.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The product immediately calmed down my irritable, rosacea-prone skin while delivering intense hydration that lasted all day.
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • About a year after infection, a fully mature, gravid female worm migrates to the skin, usually in the lower extremities.
    — Mark Kortepeter, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Paloski said the massasauga encountered could be a gravid female about to give birth.
    — Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2022
Definition of gravid
Verb
  • The format was part talk show, part first date, and the tone was often flirtatious and awkward, spawning several viral moments over the years.
    — Amy B Wang, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Despite a mixed reception from critics upon its release, Cruel Intentions has since become a cult classic, spawning a prequel, a sequel, a jukebox musical, and a TV series.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of spawning
Adjective
  • My backyard tortoise, Philbert, has been most irascible and taken to his fainting couch (cardboard box).
    — STAT Staff, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Graham, who died unexpectedly on July 11 at age 71, was equally irascible and incorrigible.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 28 July 2026
Definition of irascible
Adjective
  • English also included a selfie of the expectant parents, who got engaged in December, with smiles on their faces.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Call Her Daddy host, who is pregnant with her first child, has been clearing out other expectant moms' baby registries on social media.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of expectant

Browse Nearby Words

brooded (about or over)
brooding
brooding (about or over)
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Cite this Entry

“Brooding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brooding. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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