as in pouts
a state of resentful silence or irritability
her mother-in-law managed to dispel her sullenness with a gals-only shopping spree
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Recent Examples of sullenness
His performance lives in his eyes, which manage to convey a sincere naïveté and a sullenness all at once.
—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
As Mozart, Sam Clemmett is wonderful, carefully navigating the silliness and sullenness of a character who’s been drawn as part boy, part man.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
As Mozart, Sam Clemmett is wonderful, carefully navigating the silliness and sullenness of a character who’s been drawn as part boy, part man.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullenness
Noun
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So how, exactly, did these polka-dot pouts make their way onto the mood board?
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Soto’s Marie pouts and squeals with abandon.
Noun
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Such symptoms can include irritability, anxiety, mood swings and insomnia.
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The symptoms often look different in dads—anger or sudden outbursts, irritability and substance misuse, for example.
Cite this Entry
“Sullenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullenness. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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