1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the cold rain made for a gloomy day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
has been gloomy ever since the breakup with his girlfriend
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3
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
that house would be less gloomy if some of the overgrown trees and shrubs were cleared away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gloomy
Overall, Americans are gloomy about inflation Americans don’t seem happy about the outlook.
—
Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
January can be a notoriously gloomy time; Arctic temperatures, constant rain, the list goes on.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2026
When the King visited Greenland in April—looking jaunty and at ease while cruising on a fjord with the Prime Minister, and taking a coffee-and-cake break with locals at a cultural center in Nuuk—the contrast with Vance’s gloomy trip couldn’t have been starker.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
When tensions are high or people are gloomy, the Dow tends to drop; when people sing a more positive tune, the Dow trends upward.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gloomy
Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
January can be a notoriously gloomy time; Arctic temperatures, constant rain, the list goes on.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2026
When the King visited Greenland in April—looking jaunty and at ease while cruising on a fjord with the Prime Minister, and taking a coffee-and-cake break with locals at a cultural center in Nuuk—the contrast with Vance’s gloomy trip couldn’t have been starker.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
When tensions are high or people are gloomy, the Dow tends to drop; when people sing a more positive tune, the Dow trends upward.
—Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gloomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloomy
Adjective
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Iran’s internet connectivity has been partially restored, but experts are warning that, even on the other side of the digital blackout, the outlook for Iranian internet access remains bleak.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The same brush painted the bleak picture for both schools.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The same sad and sinister menace occupying 1600 Penn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Of course, after a while the thrill of getting caught fades, and sneaking around becomes deeply sad rather than sexy.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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Over the weekend, around 16,000 people paid their respects to the designer at his funeral chamber at the Armani Teatro designed by Tadao Ando, filled with white flowers and paper lanterns on the floor in a diagonal grid formation dimly lit up the darkened venue.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The mood was somber, glowing, and peaceful.—
Ed Bok Lee,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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The city is home to Museum Island – a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring five world-class museums – and to historical sites like the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust Museum, which are somber yet must-visit places.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Domingo Morel, a professor at New York University who studies state takeovers of local schools, said most local residents wind up unhappy with the methods used by state interventionists and the results.—
Bri Hatch,
Chalkbeat,
26 Jan. 2026
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Audrey, the single and childless and PhD-less product of a stable but unhappy home, has fallen short of the life planned out for her by her parents.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Jim is the only one standing still, staring straight at the camera with his intense, dark-blue eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Small described the shooter as a male who was wearing dark clothing and black and white shoes.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Winter can be gloomy, dreary, and depressing.—
Kari Leibowitz,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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Suggesting that Hallam was trying to make a name for himself was a depressing line for Guardiola to attack.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Aside from the loneliness, Rowland says day-after-day stuck inside has left her depressed and fearing the worst.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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The first episode largely focuses on the male perspective through the eyes of the angry, lonely, and depressed Jeremy (Jaquel Spivey).—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gloomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloomy. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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