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
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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
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Recent Examples of sullen
For the Canucks, however, and for their fans, there’s no time to be sullen about Tocchet’s decision.
—
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
But sheer athleticism won’t turn him into a celebrity, and his demeanor doesn’t endear him to people—Majors plays Maddox as a sullen and tightly wound outcast whose environment shapes his isolation.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
The four-run outing snapped a stretch of nine consecutive scoreless outings for the rookie, who was consoled by each member of this veteran bullpen in the cramped, sullen visiting clubhouse in Chicago.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Ramsey is reprising their role as Ellie, the sullen American teenager who is immune to the cordyceps fungus turning everyone else into zombies and who may, therefore, hold the key to humanity’s rescue.
—Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
But sheer athleticism won’t turn him into a celebrity, and his demeanor doesn’t endear him to people—Majors plays Maddox as a sullen and tightly wound outcast whose environment shapes his isolation.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
The four-run outing snapped a stretch of nine consecutive scoreless outings for the rookie, who was consoled by each member of this veteran bullpen in the cramped, sullen visiting clubhouse in Chicago.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Ramsey is reprising their role as Ellie, the sullen American teenager who is immune to the cordyceps fungus turning everyone else into zombies and who may, therefore, hold the key to humanity’s rescue.
—Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullen
Adjective
-
The incident caused a somber scene near home plate, as Yankees teammates, coaches and personnel huddled around the always-affable 26-year-old before an ambulance took him off the field and to a nearby hospital.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
-
The somber financial picture leaves the city caught between cutting services to the public and finding a way to raise money.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
The somewhat bleak outlook was laid bare Tuesday night after the USMNT was thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland during a friendly in Nashville.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
11 June 2025
-
Instead of learning from this bleak recent history, Americans are now painfully absorbing this lesson by repeating it.—
Jonathan Haskel,
Foreign Affairs,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
Her tone is free-associative, irritable and rat-a-tat.—
Alexandra Jacobs,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
When an owner is distracted or irritable from work stress, the dog notices.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
As found in the survey, adults who experience daily loneliness are nearly five times more likely to rate their current life poorly compared to those who aren’t lonely.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
-
Skeletal branches created a cathedral over the lonely vehicle where the 64-year-old man had breathed his last, the winter-gray river placid in the background behind a ramble of fences.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Playing Dawn Summers, Trachtenberg joined the show in 2000, as Buffy's younger sister, who was at times bratty, sulky, and a bit of a klutz — but nonetheless offered a new and exciting sibling dynamic for the show to explore.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Horse race At the harness racing week on the Freehold Raceway in New Jersey: a reverse race with the sulky fixed in front of the horse - 1930.—
Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Caregivers of individuals under 60 are nearly 4 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than non-caregivers and are less likely to seek treatment.—
Tom Chiodo,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
-
Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is exactly the productive, surly, still-in-his-prime player this team needs down the middle.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
-
Rostov is exiled to the servants’ quarters in the attic, stripped of most of his possessions, and is kept under constant surveillance by a surly KGB operative (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson).—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Its reversible design features dark stripes on one side made of 92 percent wool, 4 percent polyester, and 4 percent cotton, and the opposite side is made from 100 percent cotton in the solid natural color.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
15 June 2025
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Named for the distinctive dark stripes running across the back of its head, this medium-sized goose is specially adapted for one of the most extreme migrations in the animal kingdom.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sullen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullen. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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