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
The Michigan sentiment reading has been quite dour for the past few months, causing some investors to worry about the implications for the U.S. economy.
—
Kevin Stankiewicz,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 11 May 2025
Contributions to Peter’s Pence—a fundraising arm implemented a thousand years earlier by the Saxons in England, by which ordinary Catholics make contributions to support the Pope—soared after Francis succeeded the more dour Pope Benedict XVI.
—Gerald Posner, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Some investors remained dour about the outlook, expecting slow progress on trade deals.
—Danielle Kaye, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
And Pereira is the latest Wolves figure to look past the place’s rather dour exterior to sample its increasingly popular food.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dour
Kevin Stankiewicz,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 11 May 2025
Contributions to Peter’s Pence—a fundraising arm implemented a thousand years earlier by the Saxons in England, by which ordinary Catholics make contributions to support the Pope—soared after Francis succeeded the more dour Pope Benedict XVI.
—Gerald Posner, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Some investors remained dour about the outlook, expecting slow progress on trade deals.
—Danielle Kaye, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
And Pereira is the latest Wolves figure to look past the place’s rather dour exterior to sample its increasingly popular food.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
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Eric Bauman, a gruff and tireless political operative who led two of California’s most powerful Democratic organizations before resigning amid misconduct allegations, died Monday.—
Laura J. Nelson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
-
Cross-examination from the defense’s gruff Xavier Donaldson will continue first thing Tuesday when the trial picks up again.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Despite the grim topic, the report offers encouraging news: Steady progress has been made in reducing child labor globally.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
26 June 2025
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The grim discovery has shaken the Wenatchee community and set off a sweeping manhunt for Decker, who has not been seen since.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Born in Philadelphia in October 1888, Breen shuttled between jobs in public relations, newspaper journalism, and the U.S. consular service, yet the connecting thread was always his deep, proud, stern Irish Catholicism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
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However, strikes between the two nations appeared to continue—leading to a stern rebuke from the president on Tuesday morning.—
Jason Lemon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
25 June 2025
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China's territorial dispute with the Philippines has been particularly fierce in recent years as Chinese maritime forces expand into the U.S. defense treaty ally's exclusive economic zone.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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Loro Piana’s Wish Onde Soft also boasts exceptional softness and hairiness, while the new Wish Rice part of the same family is a fancy yarn defined by a rugged, tactile effect ensured by chain-like structure.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
1 July 2025
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Pictured above is Indonesia’s mountainous Halmahera rainforest, featuring rugged topography shaped by outpourings from the numerous volcanoes that pockmark the region.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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During that bleak era, Che-Chung Tsai, a researcher at the University of Washington, contacted several companies, seeking experimental drugs for use in an animal study.—
Jon Cohen,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
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That said, Google’s latest survey paints a bleak picture.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The foundations themselves are also focused on education to make clinical trials less intimidating.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
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Catcher Caden Bodine, a top-round prospect, leads Coastal Carolina’s balanced and intimidating lineup.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Guzman’s book was used as a common reader by several universities in 2024, reflecting ongoing concerns about the often hostile, partisan gaps that have roiled many campuses in recent years.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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In the five years since the events of Jurassic World Dominion, many of the dinosaurs and other formerly extinct creatures that were set free into the world have died off, unable to survive in the modern climate and otherwise hostile environments.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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