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 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
  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
  • Letting mental health conditions go untreated is a risk to both the pregnant parent and the baby, Diaz Stransky said.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Children and pregnant women are paying the price for climate breakdown with their health.
    — Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of pregnant
Verb
  • People instinctively grab whoever happens to be sitting beside them.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The Wiley painting, which was commissioned by the State Department in 2013, features four Dominican models, two men sitting and two women standing against a blue floral backdrop.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sitting
Adjective
  • How skipping breakfast affects kids at school Nemours KidsHealth reports that kids who miss the morning meal often feel tired, restless or irritable by midmorning.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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
  • This mystery has tantalized scientists since Charles Darwin mused on it in 1871, spawning no shortage of competing theories about the origins of Earth’s biology around four billion years ago.
    — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Later in August, the salmon will begin to weaken and die after spawning.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 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
  • In the first picture, the then-expectant mom wrapped her arms around Singleton-Hill’s neck, holding onto the sonogram and little booties.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 19 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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