mopey

adjective

Definition of mopeynext
as in pouting
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability I don't know what's made him all mopey, but he's getting hard to live with

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 mopey As a cabaret musician who entertains the troops, Penélope Cruz is a wickedly brassy marvel—vamping up a storm one minute, grumbling about her menstrual cycle the next, and eventually coaxing even Sebastián out of his mopey shell. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026 Rubin sets the tone with a lead turn that’s perky but not quirky, expansively emotional but not mopey, and the rest of the cast similarly pitch their performances somewhere just north of naturalistic but south of soapy. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026 After an overly mopey Season 1, letting our series lead actually take pleasure in a life that most people can only dream about is a smart shift, but Tropper also gives Coop two distinct, disparate, and clarifying obstacles. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026 Farrell’s Sonny Crockett is a brooding, messy, temperamental cop whose impulsiveness and (ahem) intensity is balanced by his mopey vulnerability. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025 At least original franchise director James Wan had his signature boom-crash camera snaps to shock some urgency into the mopey storytelling. — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mopey
  1. irritable
  2. sullen
  3. sulky
  4. pouty
  5. glum
Adjective
  • Murray says her own experience has made her more understanding when female colleagues seem more tired or irritable than usual, particularly when the behavior is out of character.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Could be because for much of the running time, Abrams’ Jay Gardiner is up against what looks like a very large irritable sphincter.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • Omitsu extended her delicate white hand toward Shinsuke, who sat sullen, arms folded.
    — Yasushi Inoue, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Donnie is a bit of a cherubic-looking Edward Scissorhands who, on one of his less sullen days, comes across as a charming, intriguing kid.
    — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of sullen
Adjective
  • Suzanne, the sulky, artistic type, scowls and pointedly ignores their noisy energy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Skillfully carrying the tale as Kimberly is Ann Morrison, marvelously placing the qualities of a bubbly when not sulky teen in the voice and body of an older woman.
    — Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of sulky
Adjective
  • Coined in 2019 by The New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino, the phrase refers to a look characterized by a small button nose, high cheekbones and pouty lips.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • For those who take pride in their pouty lips (or their ability to talk their way out of just about anything), a swipe of lipstick and nothing else is a cool way to look put together without the hustle of actually putting yourself together.
    — Loren Savini, Allure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of pouty
Adjective
  • Oil prices fell on positive comments from Washington and Tehran over talks to end their war, though Gulf nations remained glum and analysts voiced caution over rhetoric transforming into reality.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Despite those glum outlooks, economists say that everyday Americans shouldn't bank on prices coming down from current levels.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of glum

Browse Nearby Words

mopes
mopey
moping
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Cite this Entry

“Mopey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mopey. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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