as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
he's got the mopes because his girlfriend is mad at him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lingers
to move or act slowly
we were in a rush, and the Sunday driver in front of us was just moping along
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouts
to silently go about in a bad mood
she's been moping all weekend because her boyfriend hasn't called even once
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mopes
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Freshly ditched by his friends, Chris mopes, dejected, as his mother drives.
—Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2024
Verb
At the conclusion of the episode, Greg mopes at home, tossing pennies into a jar from afar.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Freshly ditched by his friends, Chris mopes, dejected, as his mother drives.
—Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mopes
Verb
-
Former Mayor Harold Washington appears extensively — including a candid photo of Washington shaking hands with constituents while a young Obama lingers in the background.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
-
The woman lingers, asking about the food.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
In a chilling sequence, Dennis ties a garbage bag over Mallory’s head and drags her into the woods.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
The United States’ stockpiles of crude oil, gasoline and diesel are falling fast as the war with Iran drags on.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
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However, there has been a growing edge to Denver’s current group, personified on the field in the way safety Talanoa Hufanga flies to the ball and in the way Cooper scowls under his eye black.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
How often do smiles express happiness and scowls express anger?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Mar. 2020
Verb
-
Doctors say the administrative action routinely delays or denies care.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Nothing says Connecticut meet-cute like bonding over melting ice cream while a boat slowly delays everyone’s plans.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Don’t Kill Reach with External Links Like any business that makes money from advertising, LinkedIn frowns upon directing people away from LinkedIn to another site.—
William Arruda,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Here is our review of a 2025-26 campaign that’s ended with more smiles than frowns.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
At sunset, the city starts glowing around you while traffic crawls silently below.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
28 May 2026
-
Critics on the Croisette are starting to resemble that classic comic-strip panel in which an explorer crawls desperately across the sand toward an oasis that’s only a mirage.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
Verb
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When Ray lavishes attention on another biker’s pet pillion, Kevin (Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters), Colin sulks until his master unzips his trousers and gives him a treat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Now the eldest of the Sully kids, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) sulks with survivor’s guilt, while teenage adoptee Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) questions her seemingly immaculate conception while deepening her connection to the all-knowing nature goddess Eywa.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In it, Grace can be seen playing a racing game while the Mallrats creator pokes fun at her driving skills.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently isn’t amused by a new board game that pokes fun at the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s reputation for garnering foul calls at the hint of contact by an opposing player.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mopes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mopes. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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