brooding 1 of 2

Definition of broodingnext

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
Spanning 137 episodes, Riverdale began as a brooding adaptation of Archie Comics and soon garnered a reputation for taking huge swings with unpredictable plot lines and campy character choices. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Nov. 2025 With the excitement and delusion of Humbert Humbert imposing a purple-prose narrative on his pedophilic assumptions, Hank speaks of his former student like a James Dean figure — beautiful, brooding and quietly intelligent. Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
For his battle-worn, brooding rendition of the heroic outlaw in the A24 film, the Les Misérables actor shows off a long gray beard paired with silver locks—a far cry from other Robin Hoods portrayed by actors like Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Russell Crowe. Lara Walsh, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026 If coffee tones aren’t your thing, opt for something warmer and richer, like this brooding oxblood. Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brooding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brooding
Adjective
  • The actress became pregnant with their first child while filming season 3 of The Rookie, and instead of strategically concealing her pregnancy to play Angela, creator Alexi Hawley simply wrote it into Diaz's character's storyline.
    Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
  • In the fine print of its overhauled recommendations, the CDC suggests an initial RSV dose for infants under 8 months if their mothers did not get an RSV shot while pregnant, and a second dose for children with underlying issues like chronic lung disease.
    Aria Bendix, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Klobuchar becomes the fourth sitting senator to announce plans to run for governor in 2026.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
  • As Tara runs up to grab one of the antidotes, her best friend Johnny (who is sitting beside it) reaches over and grabs it, then hands it down the table to Kristen.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • While grunge seemed peevish, grim, defeatist, and dour—and extended the kind of us-vs.-them culture most famously centered by the indie rock of the ’80s and ’90s, Oasis was celebratory, communal, and democratic while exploring themes of alienation, escape, and fantasies of triumph.
    Corey Seymour, Vogue, 28 July 2025
  • Thousands of people — displaced by disaster, their past lives gone up in smoke — are hostage to the whims of a peevish president who always puts his feelings first and cares nothing for the greater good.
    Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025
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
Verb
  • Antisemitism is surging across the globe, reaching levels not seen since the end of World War II and spawning atrocities like the Hanukkah massacre at Australia’s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people.
    Elliott Broidy, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Photos of Macron in his statement shades went viral, spawning countless memes and comments with references to ‘80s films such as Top Gun, Cobra, and Terminator.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
  • This can include feeling irritable, having a low frustration tolerance, feeling easily overstimulated, and having rapid shifts in emotion.
    Korin Miller, SELF, 20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Jackie and Shadow, the two viral bald eagles who call Southern California their home, are once again expectant parents.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The webinar is designed to help families and caregivers understand the risks of lead exposure and learn practical steps to protect young children and expectant parents, the release said.
    Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • According to the American Eagle Foundation, bald eagles normally lay one to three eggs per year, with eggs hatching anywhere between 34 and 40 days after incubation.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Bald eagle eggs typically have a 50-50 chance of hatching, according to Sandy Steers, biologist and executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Brooding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brooding. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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