as in brooding
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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of moping
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
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
Adjective
-
That biography took the form of a dark romance between the self-lacerating Louis and his fiercely loving but brutal maker, Lestat, filtered through the former’s brooding subjectivity.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 June 2026
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Sisters Ellie, Lily and Powell Balkcom delivered a powerfully brooding, almost hauntingly beautiful cover of a cover that has come to serve as a cornerstone of their emerging neo-traditional sound.—
Chris Barilla,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Inventories are unlikely to fully rebuild given the scale of draws in the first half-year and ongoing government stockpiling, the bank said, while lingering geopolitical risk premium would keep a floor under prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
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Southern Living also noted that local tourism officials are encouraging visitors to return to the region, as many businesses remain open and rely on tourism dollars despite lingering perceptions that the area is still closed following Hurricane Helene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Some people will probably be pouting in those debriefs.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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My introduction to Peters came late last year, when Instagram’s algorithm served me a video of him wearing a baseball cap, primping and pouting for the camera.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
They can be withdrawn or irritable.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
While Hockney worked, Auden, as the artist recalled, played the part of the impatient, irritable grump.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Mbappé has already been a hero for his country, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final while almost dragging his team to an unlikely defense of the title.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
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Avoid activities that could create a spark, including campfires, outdoor burning and dragging trailer chains.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
But nothing good came from sulking.—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
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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
Adjective
-
Charles seemed highly strung and petulant, getting himself in a lather about the loss of a cufflink just before the pre-wedding ball at Buckingham Palace.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
-
Young Washington, a new biopic, gives us pre-Revolutionary George, early-20s George, pale, petulant, virginal, ramrod-straight, and bristling with awkwardness and ambition.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Verb
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And while research shows that exercise supports healthy sleep by regulating body temperature, mood, metabolism and circadian rhythm, Weiner cautions that exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep by delaying sleep onset, shortening sleep duration and lowering overall sleep quality.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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The remaining providers are stretched thin, and patients are traveling farther for care — often delaying prenatal visits or arriving in labor without adequate support.—
Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams,
STAT,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moping. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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