1
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
sullen skies that matched our mood on the day of the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouting
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability
sullen and bored at his in-laws' house, he couldn't wait for the holidays to end
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 sullen
But the day remained gray, shrouded, and sullen.
—
Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Malcolm is only getting drunker and more sullen as the reception progresses.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2025
The President is a sullen bore, but Servillo’s performance is always a hair less moribund than the movie around it, and held tight by the sincerity of his ambivalence.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Until the UFOs arrive, the sullen grandeur of OK Computer will have to suffice for Yorke, and the rest of us, too.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Joel M. Vance, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Malcolm is only getting drunker and more sullen as the reception progresses.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2025
The President is a sullen bore, but Servillo’s performance is always a hair less moribund than the movie around it, and held tight by the sincerity of his ambivalence.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Until the UFOs arrive, the sullen grandeur of OK Computer will have to suffice for Yorke, and the rest of us, too.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullen
Adjective
-
The panel event, the subject of which was decided in late December, was a somber affair in the wake of the harsh crackdown by Iran’s Islamic Republic government on anti-government demonstrations on January 8 and 9, which has left thousands dead or detained.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Tone turns on a dime, the acting broad one minute, somber the next.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The economy was looking bleak, Retter said.—
Sophie Hartley,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Chelsea 2-0 Burnley West Ham vs Bournemouth Quietly, from what looked like a bleak position five weeks ago, West Ham have given themselves a fighting chance of Premier League survival.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Manic episodes are described as prolonged periods of mood instability, in which a person can experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria, or alternatively, feel depressed or unusually irritable.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With his big eyes and expressive face, Punch is basically a fuzzy baby, and who doesn’t feel bad for a lonely, fuzzy baby?—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
23 Feb. 2026
-
That’s true of the protagonist, a lonely boy who longs to leave Earth, and of the film itself.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Keep an eye out for chartreuses, browns, and bright sky blues, along with sulky mauves and beiges in a plaster finish.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
-
After a strange courtship ritual—in which, as a favor to Liveright, Cerf accompanied the writer Theodore Dreiser to an afternoon baseball game that the latter man, bored, sulky, whisked them from around the sixth inning—Cerf took the job.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
This can trigger depressive symptoms or worsen pre-existing symptoms for some women.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The fear alone sent Rzeznik down a depressive spiral of writer’s block, a move to New York City, and a separation from his wife.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Heathcliff is surly, cruel, and vindictive.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Mandating a coach keep a coordinator, particularly one with Schwartz’s surly reputation, seems counterintuitive — particularly to a young, first-time coach such as Scheelhaase.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Both teams wore their dark jerseys for the 266th meeting between the teams and UCLA improved to 150-116 in a series dating to 1928 when UCLA joined the Pacific Coast Conference.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
In all, eight of the 28 shows lost a performance (many productions are dark on Sunday nights anyway), and most took significant box office blows.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sullen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullen. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
