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as in sad
feeling unhappiness has been gloomy ever since the breakup with his girlfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gloomy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gloomy are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dismal, and dreary. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

When might bleak be a better fit than gloomy?

While in some cases nearly identical to gloomy, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When would cheerless be a good substitute for gloomy?

In some situations, the words cheerless and gloomy are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

When is desolate a more appropriate choice than gloomy?

The meanings of desolate and gloomy largely overlap; however, desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

When can dismal be used instead of gloomy?

While the synonyms dismal and gloomy are close in meaning, dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

Where would dreary be a reasonable alternative to gloomy?

The words dreary and gloomy can be used in similar contexts, but dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

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 gloomy The Star braved the gloomy weather conditions for the first edition of On the Budget, a new series in which reporter Joseph Hernandez checks out activities and restaurants around Kansas City and sees what fun can be had on a $25 budget. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2025 The Briton cut a gloomy figure in the paddock after finishing seventh, 31 seconds behind his teammate. Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 In May 2024, prospects for the United States becoming a global innovation center for digital assets and other promising blockchain technologies were gloomy. Dan Ikenson, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 What To Know China's main stock indexes—the CSI 300 and the MSCI China—fell on Monday, with similar gloomy sentiment gripping Asian markets. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gloomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloomy
Adjective
  • The latest Email Threat Trends Report from VIPRE paints a bleak picture.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • Related article Putin just called Trump’s bluff on Ukraine, with the Russian art of the ‘no’ deal Ukraine in 2025 is a bleak prospect.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • After the show, there's booze, girls, and hotel suites, but Abel's locked in the bathroom, being sad.
    Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 May 2025
  • For someone who prizes roadside Americana, this is the visual version of the sad trombone sound.
    Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • That’s the question writer-director Ari Aster’s somber comedy-Western Eddington, playing in competition here at the Cannes Film Festival, appears to be asking.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 May 2025
  • Rayburn partners up with local sheriff Alice Gustafson (Annabelle Wallis) in a somber yet tumultuous pursuit of a killer who uses brutal traps and primal tactics.
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • Their presidential candidate, Erika Meza, a 25-year veteran teacher from the Southeast Side, is unhappy with what CTU has come to symbolize.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
  • However, the Palestinians are unhappy with the speed of FIFA’s inquiries.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • All Fair remembers of that dark time in her life was having ongoing headaches, throwing up and struggling with her balance.
    Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025
  • Suddenly, somebody invented a machine and offered them a new deal: Work in this stinky dark factory or starve.
    Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, Chernow devotes a hefty portion of his 1,039 pages (excluding notes) to Twain’s personal tribulations, a depressing series of bungles and calamities starting in the author’s middle age.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
  • The lack of business on Sunday and Monday nights could be especially depressing.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Never as rich as its aesthetics intimate, the U.S. met the nineties financially—and, therefore, spiritually—depressed.
    Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
  • Though fun is a funny word to use considering Thunderbolts is all about depressed anti-heroes looking for a sense of purpose.
    Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • Its origins are as murky as the exact proportions of the recipe.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
  • Instead, the injury made his situation murky at best.
    Adam Jahns, New York Times, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gloomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloomy. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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