1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
the usual glum waiting room at the tax collector's office a cold, glum day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
how can you be glum after such a great day?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pouting
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability
a chronically glum and pouting child
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of glum
Ejae, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna perch in director’s chairs at Netflix’s New York City headquarters on a glum October morning.
—
Eliza Berman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Consumer sentiment is glum, job growth has slowed, and the federal government shutdown forced low-income shoppers to pull back spending amid a pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
The Hustle Not everything is glum, of course.
—Mark Dent, HubSpot, 7 Nov. 2025
It’s been glum at the box office with fewer breakouts as the industry struggles to lift grosses from 2024 levels.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glum
Eliza Berman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Consumer sentiment is glum, job growth has slowed, and the federal government shutdown forced low-income shoppers to pull back spending amid a pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
The Hustle Not everything is glum, of course.
—Mark Dent, HubSpot, 7 Nov. 2025
It’s been glum at the box office with fewer breakouts as the industry struggles to lift grosses from 2024 levels.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glum
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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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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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
Adjective
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On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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This can include feeling irritable, having a low frustration tolerance, feeling easily overstimulated, and having rapid shifts in emotion.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Interestingly, the clip of the penguin proved something of a Rorschach test, with some viewing the creature as a lonely outcast, and others interpreting the penguin’s journey as a quest for adventure.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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One of Hardy's victims, who went only by the pseudonym Melanie, told The Guardian that in school, Hardy was a target for bullies and seemed lonely.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
26 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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My father was also sullen from the vodka, and after grumbling some would fall asleep on his grungy sleeper berth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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And Venter’s fiery and edgy Jessie May is sullen, controlling and cruel.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Glum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glum. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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