as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a dour prison guard who didn't look like he'd be very understanding
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dour
Upstairs, the primary suite feels more boutique hotel than dour Tudor manor, with dual dressing rooms, a rolltop bath, and even a private yoga studio.
—
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025
Still, the overall picture of the labor market remains dour for many Americans, especially the nearly 2 million people who have been searching for jobs for at least half a year.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Back on Capitol Hill, the mood is dour and fatalistic.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
This might seem to be a dour sign for software engineers.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dour
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025
Still, the overall picture of the labor market remains dour for many Americans, especially the nearly 2 million people who have been searching for jobs for at least half a year.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Back on Capitol Hill, the mood is dour and fatalistic.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 29 Sep. 2025
This might seem to be a dour sign for software engineers.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
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But encounters with the island’s residents, including with his gruff but warm-hearted landlady (played by German screen legend Hanna Schygulla), gradually alter his outlook.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This grim reality evokes a sense of sorrow and powerlessness among women in Paina Bujurg.—
Aishwarya S. Iyer,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
-
To the right lay the harbor, its narrow entrance guarded by the grim Morro Castle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At Roland Park, Tupac’s English teacher was a stern woman named Thomasina Porter.—
Jeff Pearlman,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
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The short war in Cuba gained the United States the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico; turned the nation into a Pacific power; and created beliefs that America was a stern yet benevolent country tasked by Destiny to enforce peace and bring prosperity to the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Children’s Health Defense, the organization Kennedy built into one of the fiercest foes of childhood vaccines, took interest in the Idaho bill early on.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
20 Oct. 2025
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Two-time All Pro linebacker James Harrison led a fierce Pittsburgh Steelers defense for years, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their rugged endurance is what endears Jeeps to car-lovers with a sense of history and who appreciate the significance of a vehicle that defined an indefatigable generation.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
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At Grandview Point, once the site of a 19th-century copper mine, visitors can enjoy sweeping panoramas and access the rugged Grandview Trail, originally built to haul ore out of the canyon.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meta’s entry-level roles are a welcome addition to a bleak Gen Z job market.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
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Things looked bleak when the Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but eventually, the Jays came roaring back.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Rutgers, meanwhile, has lost three in a row and now faces the unenviable task of attempting to strip down one of the most intimidating offenses in the nation.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Technology is as straightforward and as non-intimidating as any EV.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In response, Stanton told him to go away, using an expletive, and sent a series of hostile messages, as well as one asking to meet in person, the complaint alleges.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
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But in the best-of-seven ALCS, the Jays needed four starters, so there was Scherzer, making his first appearance of the postseason in a hostile environment with his team needing a win to tie the series with the Seattle Mariners at two games apiece.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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