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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
her obvious glumness told us that she hadn't gotten the job
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 glum
Steve Knopper, Billboard, 9 June 2025
The brood includes an addled patriarch who often forgets to wear pants, an observant matriarch and, best of all, a glum but handsome son (Charlie Anson).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Trout expresses optimism about quick return Angels star outfielder Mike Trout was in a jovial mood Friday, a far cry from the understandably glum tenor of his normal injury interviews.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The New York Fed’s latest Survey of Consumer Expectations data released Monday added more glum outlooks to the growing pile of sour sentiment readings from Americans at a time when unpredictable federal policies have caused uncertainty and recession fears to spike.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glum
Adjective
Returning to work and dealing with strict COVID-19 protocols, inflation and supply-chain issues, crews could be glum.
—Steve Knopper, Billboard, 9 June 2025
The brood includes an addled patriarch who often forgets to wear pants, an observant matriarch and, best of all, a glum but handsome son (Charlie Anson).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Trout expresses optimism about quick return Angels star outfielder Mike Trout was in a jovial mood Friday, a far cry from the understandably glum tenor of his normal injury interviews.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The New York Fed’s latest Survey of Consumer Expectations data released Monday added more glum outlooks to the growing pile of sour sentiment readings from Americans at a time when unpredictable federal policies have caused uncertainty and recession fears to spike.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glum
Adjective
-
Directed by Paul Schrader with a script by Bret Easton Ellis, this spiritually bleak L.A. drama features Lohan’s most daring performance, and probably the only one that manages to break completely with her childhood and adolescent roles.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
-
The situation is bleak enough that, even if aid increases rapidly in the coming weeks, deaths from starvation are almost certain to rise.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Charlotte Lawrence loves a good, gut-wrenching, sad song.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Even weeks following the sad news, Black Sabbath is still dominating, and several of the group’s albums climb to new peaks decades after they were first released.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
High-contrast, stark black-and-white tones, water droplets and a somber expression emerging from shadows.—
Evan J. Schwartz,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
There were no somber emotions this time from Dončić’s side, with Balkan music blasting throughout the practice facility before he and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka held a news conference to celebrate Dončić’s extension.—
Khobi Price,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That view shifted Wednesday, with our double upgrade back to our buy-equivalent 1 rating after CEO David Ricks and several other company insiders bought lots of shares of the depressed stock.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Though heartbreaking, the film is rooted in laughter, with Jamie living his life not in a depressed state but rather choosing to live in the moment.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
SSRIs are linked to a condition called neonatal adaption syndrome, in which infants are born jittery, irritable and with abnormal muscle tone.—
Andrew Novick,
The Conversation,
31 July 2025
-
Frequently, kids who suppress emotions at school come home irritable in a low-key fashion at home.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Forecasters said in an Aug. 18 advisory that environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form during the latter part of this week.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
-
The hurricane center has already identified a tropical wave behind Erin that has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm within the next seven days.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The movie Marty was based on Chayefsky’s television drama about two lonely people finding love.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Hero Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) lonely fight for survival gave way to a military mission to vanquish aliens ravaging a human colony; Cameron filled the frame with cocky Marines, boxy space tanks, and an adorable orphan who finds in Ripley a surrogate mother.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
As with almost any change, some residents were unhappy, mostly about being told to slow down.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
-
President Donald Trump was unhappy with July’s U.S. jobs report, which showed hiring slowing (with 73,000 jobs added, compared to 100,000 predicted) and revised past months’ numbers.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Glum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glum. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share