as in pouting
to silently go about in a bad mood
the toddler would sulk for hours whenever he didn't get his way
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in sulky
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sulking
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Still, Brown did not spend his offseason sulking.
—Sean Gregory, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024
No one is going to get better by sulking.
—Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Verb
His owner shared a viral TikTok sound over the clip, from when another owner went through the very same thing with her own sulking dog.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Jets Mike McDaniel’s slow, sulking walk off the field was just sad, which about sums up the Dolphins this season.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Still, Brown did not spend his offseason sulking.
—Sean Gregory, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024
No one is going to get better by sulking.
—Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sulking
Verb
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This was followed by a shot of them all pouting as Landon and Alabama flashed peace signs and their dad took his turn to flip off the camera.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Still, Ortega’s performance proves that sulky, baleful gravity doesn’t have to lose its strange luster over time (a third season has already been announced).—
Tom Gliatto,
PEOPLE,
3 Sep. 2025
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Founder Max Siegelman drew upon his family’s harness racing roots thanks to the boarding and teaching facility for the sport involving the powerful animal, a sulky and human direction that dates to the 1800s in the US.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Malcolm is only getting drunker and more sullen as the reception progresses.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
10 Oct. 2025
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Mark, with his fighting regimen, is a lot to handle, but so is Dawn, who’s a rather sullen party-girl princess.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Now our favorite scowling friend is getting his own movie, too.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
15 Oct. 2025
-
In terms of my entry point to him, just understanding that this wasn’t a monster that was going to be scowling in the shadows and looking for any opportunity to hurt someone.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sulking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sulking. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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