dour

adjective

ˈdau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce dour (audio)
Definition of dournext
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance a dour prison guard who didn't look like he'd be very understanding

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dour The colors are dour and muted, and the yearnings of the two elder Dashwood sisters—the self-abnegating Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and the passionate Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles, a gimlet-eyed standout)—often play out in drearily candlelit rooms. — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 The influence of Black American music was absent from not just their Warwickshire peers at the time, but all of the dour indie milieu toiling under Thatcher’s grey skies. — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, Zuckerberg, who mostly stays on the sidelines of the movie, is now a mighty billionaire and, as Strong plays him, a dour, lifeless dork. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Bonds have therefore long been considered the most boring bit of finance, the dour, dependable sibling to the racier, more glamorous stock market. — Robin Wigglesworth, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
  1. gruff
  2. grim
  3. stern
  4. intimidating
  5. fierce
  6. rugged
  7. bleak
  8. hostile
Adjective
  • The two-time Oscar winner wrote in his upcoming memoir, Look at Me, that Nichols was gruff in their interactions.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Loneliness looms as a threat to all genders, but men, who are lauded for gruff stoicism and scorned for vulnerability, can be especially ill-equipped to navigate atomization.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • The mood was grim at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit in Bahrain organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
    — Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The motto of the franchise is ‘In the grim darkness of the far future, there is nothing but war,’ which could tap into his darker sensibilities, but Flanagan wasn’t giving much away when Deadline probed for an update.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of grim
Adjective
  • But the rugged terrain would prove a stern test for some competitors.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The fear had to be that Stewart’s Star Trek captain, by comparison, would feel like your stern and authoritarian father had finally come home to shut down the party and tell everyone they were grounded.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • The goal is to make car maintenance less intimidating and give people the confidence to recognize what their vehicles need in a safe space.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Mix the unique transmission with that generation Vantage’s most intimidating looks, and you’re left with a car overflowing with bravado.
    — Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Adjective
  • But many others are unpopular and have faced fierce opposition.
    — Joe Heim, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The once-fierce rivalry, which accounted for five Stanley Cup titles from 1996-2002, has cooled significantly since Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference and the teams have not been competitive at the same time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • For more experienced hikers seeking extremes, the Backcountry Trail is a rugged seven-mile trek with steep grades passing primitive campsites, perfect for spending the night underneath the stars.
    — Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • And as an appropriate choice for such a rugged rendering, the entirety of the Goadome is rendered in black.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • His isolated existence is bleak, especially for such a bighearted person naturally inclined to love others.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • But in a bleak indicator of the current political climate, the bait was inflammatory content about Muslims.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • The Navy's Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen, known as SWCCs, are elite maritime operators training to operate high-speed, heavily armed boats that transport Navy SEALs into and out of hostile territory, along with other maritime missions.
    — James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Even as crime drops and car crashes recede, New York’s streets and parks have grown increasingly hostile to those who are frail, slow, disabled, or small.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of hostile

Browse Nearby Words

do up
dour
dourly
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Cite this Entry

“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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