gloom 1 of 2

Definition of gloomnext
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gloom

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verb

1
as in to glare
to look with anger or disapproval we just sat there, glooming, as we waited and waited for our dinners to arrive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to darken
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look he continued to gloom over the fact that he had been passed over for promotion to district manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 gloom
Noun
Its arrival at the end of a year marked by box-office gloom for films of its type — sophisticated, relatively quiet character studies made for adults — is top of mind for Dern. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025 In the months thereafter, McNamara’s gloom deepened. Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
But, there is still gloom ahead for economies in the region. Emiko Jozuka, CNN, 5 Oct. 2022 Our imperviousness to gloom is our own peculiar virtue. Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2022 See All Example Sentences for gloom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloom
Noun
  • Emotions were on full display with many expressing sadness and frustration, not only over Wednesday's federal raid, but raids happening around the Twin Cities over the last 40 days.
    WCCO Staff, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The initial answer to that question is a no, according to some evangelical pastors and commentators who reacted with shock and sadness to Yancey’s confession.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Dick Hickock was fair and twenty-eight, Perry Smith dark and thirty-one—close in age to their chronicler.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The system will also be able to auto adjust to different ambient lighting needs, ensuring optimum picture quality for daytime or after-dark spaces.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • When state media broadcasts funerals for fighters killed in Syria or Yemen while Iran’s hospitals lack basic supplies, the disconnect between rhetoric and reality becomes glaring.
    Kamran Talattof, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The Rams’ 27-24 loss to the Falcons did not result exclusively because of injuries, but the holes left by missing starters were apparent and in some cases glaring.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Legal challenges looming The financial outlook could darken further depending on the judicial branch.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
  • This higher temperature darkens the paste, slightly caramelizes the sugar, and deactivates enzymes that would otherwise break down pectin, resulting in a thicker, more cooked-tasting product.
    Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • And while medications and therapy are important tools, Fabiano says exercise is recognized as a preferred treatment for depression.
    Allison Aubrey, NPR, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The country legend struggled with her mental health and suffered from suicidal depression.
    Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The changes also allowed Mingo to step out of the shadows cast by André DeShields and Richard Pryor, who played the Wiz in the original Broadway show and 1978 movie adaptation, and make the role his own.
    Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
  • In it, prisoners trapped inside a cave perceive the world only through shadows cast by outside objects.
    Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Part of me believes that, if Indiana wins, Cignetti should retire after this season and spend the rest of his life on a beach, scowling at resort attendants and being basically unimpeachable forever.
    Will Leitch, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Another line of attack likens the show to when bachelorette parties invade gay bars — a practice frequently scowled upon by gay patrons.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Neither a square nor prime number, 2026 is still intriguing Number enthusiasts may be looking to the new year with a touch of melancholy.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Cookie cravings, a tinge of melancholy, and the urge to hibernate and fix your life all at once.
    Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloom. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.

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