moping 1 of 2

adjective

as in brooding

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moping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mope
1
as in lingering
to move or act slowly we were in a rush, and the Sunday driver in front of us was just moping along

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouting
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

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 moping
Verb
Duke, whose time in the pub is spent either moping or getting hyped up by his aunt Kaulo doing her best Lady Macbeth. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 In other words, if Hollywood had an awards show for public corruption trials, this case would be at home watching it and moping that it didn’t get nominated. — Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 1 Feb. 2026 Koko storms off and spends the rest of the evening moping about the interaction. — Jihan Forbes, Allure, 29 Oct. 2025 In June the McCoys went back to Bloomington and Catherine spent the summer moping. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025 One week, a colleague noticed Packard moping around the office and asked what was wrong. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 Rather than moping about, get your shop on with one or all of these many holiday sales. — Averi Baudler, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moping
  1. brooding
  2. lingering
  3. pouting
  4. irritable
  5. dragging
  6. sulking
  7. petulant
  8. delaying
Adjective
  • Charles is dark and brooding, but proficient in manly pursuits.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Massive ceramic brakes on 20- and 21-inch wheels complete the overall sense that this car is a brooding, robotic beast.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of brooding
Verb
  • Much like on Baby Keem’s Ca$ino, another recent rap epic undone by its author’s inability to overcome lingering trauma, BigX can’t always navigate around his unnamed haters.
    — Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
  • How relaxing and indulgent, wrapped in a plush bathrobe, lingering over lobster bisque, juicy steak and a bottle of red wine.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • During the first day of the charter, Sandy notices that Nathan is punishing Joe for pouting in the previous charter, which wins her over to Joe’s side.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Kardashian was snapped sitting in front of the pair, pouting while flashing a peace sign at the camera during a break from filming.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of pouting
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
Verb
  • Most damage to the undersea cables that form the Internet’s backbone is the result of accidents involving bottom-trawling fishing nets and ship anchors dragging on the seabed, with storms and undersea landslides also factoring in.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
  • There’s nothing neutral about dragging your feet, and a rigorous investigation of crimes is the only job of the Justice Department.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • But nothing good came from sulking.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 19 May 2026
  • With that goal in mind, Dijkstra has constructed a scheme to ensure that King Radovid stops drinking and sulking over Jaskier and embraces his role as one of the few remaining leaders who can oppose Emhyr’s army.
    — Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of sulking
Adjective
  • Trowbridge is a petulant blowhard, and has been such a fun foil to Kate over the years.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Elle Fanning stars as a wickedly mischievous Catherine, with Nicholas Hoult in the dual role of her husband, the petulant manchild Emperor Peter III, and his body double, Yemelyan Pugachev.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of petulant
Verb
  • The Ukrainian leader had accused the Pentagon of delaying the delivery of the missiles that other countries have purchased for Ukraine.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Opaque foam boards covered the windows, blocking sightlines and delaying evacuation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of delaying

Browse Nearby Words

mopey
moping
mopped
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Cite this Entry

“Moping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moping. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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