as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
he spent a long, broody weekend trying to figure out where his relationship with his girlfriend was headed
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Recent Examples of broody
The chickens were running on instinct — a broody hen sees something small and warm in her nest and sits on it.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
The camera takes time to adore the young protagonists, to admire their excellent surfaces, to look them straight in their moody, broody, serious eyes.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
The other is something more resembling that first one’s exact opposite—a dark and broody sipper, punchy and robust, liquid mollification reflecting that the best of the season is now officially behind us, and all that lays ahead is the long frigid slog toward spring.
—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
3 Jan. 2026
Theo James starred on season 1 as Charlotte's love interest (and one of Austen's broody heroes, of course), Sidney Parker.
—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
One notable absence from the sophomore season of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s Wednesday is that of broody artist Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), who played a significant love interest for Jenna Ortega’s titular main character in Season 1.
—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
8 Aug. 2025
The result was a mash-up of Ralph Lauren signatures that felt broodier, a little more bohemian, and, in that, perhaps a touch more eclectic.
—
Nick Remsen,
CNN Money,
18 Apr. 2025
Misfit is a patchouli-amber number that feels broodier and sophisticated, yet manages to wear light enough year-round.
—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
17 Aug. 2023
And she's torn between two love interests, a pair of basically interchangeable broody white boys, à la Felicity.
—
A.a. Dowd,
Chron,
21 Nov. 2022
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
The camera takes time to adore the young protagonists, to admire their excellent surfaces, to look them straight in their moody, broody, serious eyes.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
The other is something more resembling that first one’s exact opposite—a dark and broody sipper, punchy and robust, liquid mollification reflecting that the best of the season is now officially behind us, and all that lays ahead is the long frigid slog toward spring.
—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
3 Jan. 2026
Theo James starred on season 1 as Charlotte's love interest (and one of Austen's broody heroes, of course), Sidney Parker.
—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
29 Nov. 2025
One notable absence from the sophomore season of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s Wednesday is that of broody artist Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), who played a significant love interest for Jenna Ortega’s titular main character in Season 1.
—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
8 Aug. 2025
The result was a mash-up of Ralph Lauren signatures that felt broodier, a little more bohemian, and, in that, perhaps a touch more eclectic.
—
Nick Remsen,
CNN Money,
18 Apr. 2025
Misfit is a patchouli-amber number that feels broodier and sophisticated, yet manages to wear light enough year-round.
—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
17 Aug. 2023
And she's torn between two love interests, a pair of basically interchangeable broody white boys, à la Felicity.
—
A.a. Dowd,
Chron,
21 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broody
Adjective
-
That melancholy was discovered by the Romantics, and, in its coarser variation, was equivalent to despair.
-
The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
Adjective
-
High ceilings and generous proportions create volume, while thoughtful transitions blur the lines between interior and exterior, extending daily life beyond the home’s four walls.
-
The bold contrast calls for thoughtful choices of wall color.
Adjective
-
Was came from a working-class industrial city, making music reflective of Detroit’s technological upheaval and economic neglect.
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Practically architectural in its precision, her hair is pulled straight back and upwards without a visible part to create a smooth, downright reflective surface from her hairline to the crown.
Adjective
-
John Malkovich looks pensive ahead of his guest appearance in Report on the Blind at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, Sweden on June 22.
-
For Waititi, the film has lots of comedic parts while retaining the pensive beauty of the original text.
Adjective
-
At the Signers’ Hall exhibit in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
-
At the Signers' Hall exhibit in Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
Cite this Entry
“Broody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broody. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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