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
Though Hunt and Pacquin rightly won all the plaudits, Neill memorably played the brooding and jealous Alisdair. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026 Drawn from the same writing sessions that produced Love Is Not Enough, released in February, Hum of Hurt is the darker and more brooding sibling. Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026
Verb
The show follows the dark, century-spanning relationship between brooding 1800s New Orleanian Louis de Pointe du Lac (played by Jacob Anderson) and his maker, Lestat de Lioncourt (played by Sam Reid). Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026 Pianist Lex Korten and trumpeter Adam O’Farrill open freely, crash landing into the suite with cold, brooding interplay as opposed to the straightforward funk vamp of Roach’s version. Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brooding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brooding
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
Adjective
  • Count these exercises toward your 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for pregnant women.
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Medicaid was meant to provide health care to the vulnerable — a pregnant mother, a disabled father, a poor child — but the most common new enrollee of the past decade has been an able-bodied adult.
    Editorial Board, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The world’s largest cryptocurrency is currently sitting near historic lows, but Fundstrat says it could be poised for a big swing, predicting a move of around 30% or more over the next two months.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The deal was finalized in October 2025, when the NBA distributed a photo of Walter sitting next to a smiling Jeanie Buss.
    William Earl, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Skipping meals can negatively affect blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry, irritable, and unable to pay attention.
    Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an irritable, cynical weatherman sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report a story about the town’s quaint groundhog ceremony.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026
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
  • For three decades, rap legend and cultural icon Tupac Shakur’s killing has remained one of America’s great unsolved mysteries, spawning countless books, documentaries and long-form investigative journalism pieces.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The pandemic made remote work more accessible, spawning widespread digital nomad travel.
    Maria Leonard Olsen, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026
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
Adjective
  • 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
  • Several of their fellow WWE superstars, including Alexa Bliss, Damien Priest, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, LA Knight and Iyo Sky also showed up to support the expectant parents on their special day.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Brooding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brooding. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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