sunless

adjective

ˈsən-ləs How to pronounce sunless (audio)
Definition of sunlessnext
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer mental patients who were once condemned to spend their lives in the sunless confines of a state asylum

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sunless To avoid a rash, reduce other risks of tanning, and protect your overall skin health, consider switching to a sunless self-tanner. — Carrie Madormo, Health, 24 Oct. 2025 Earth’s substantial atmosphere and geomagnetic field block most (but not all) of this bombardment, and the sunless interiors of worlds without these properties still get protection from overlying material. — Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2025 As a safer alternative, many people opt for sunless tanning methods such as fake tan products or sprays. — Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 The setting is oppressive — cramped, sunless rooms in which workers push out pant after pant, shirt after shirt, vest after vest — but Wang’s gaze is never pitiful or exploitative. — Devika Girish, New York Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sunless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sunless
  1. dark
  2. bleak
  3. lonely
  4. desolate
  5. depressive
  6. depressing
  7. somber
  8. gray
Adjective
  • Nordic drama is still often associated internationally with crime, darker tones and a certain visual restraint.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Campaign images show close-fitting cycling jerseys paired with dark shorts, with prints ranging from yellow-green graphics to blue-and-white patterns.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Things looked bleak for Keller, but the Indians kept fighting.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In the exceedingly bleak ending to the book, Bela realizes that the demon has killed and styled itself after her Grandma Ruth, who lures Russell and Ursula to their death.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • An ever-lonelier minority of skeptics argue that AI’s rise may seem unusually fast but is in fact following a centuries-old script.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, Dodger Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • As filmmakers, they were drawn to the unexpected beauty of the desolate, postindustrial landscape.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Obscenities, the referee’s whistle, and the thud of boots into balls—and sometimes shins—easily carry across these desolate fields.
    — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • About one in three women is expected to face an anxiety or depressive disorder in their lifetimes.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Studies that followed African American adolescents and Latino/a adolescents have found a link between experiences of discrimination and depressive symptoms that linger years later.
    — Anahi Collado, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • There are concerted efforts to ban such devices, but they are still used with depressing frequency.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati – the latest miserable day during this depressing season - crystallized several issues that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley must navigate in the days and weeks ahead.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Jerusalem — Three years to the minute after the start of the deadliest single day in Israel’s history, the country marked the somber occasion with a series of ceremonies, memorials and protests at more than 400 locations.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • On the one hand, Ravana’s defeat is celebrated with jubilation; on the other, the goddess Durga’s departure is marked by a somber farewell.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • At Cucinelli, a designer walked us through the intricate construction of a fine-wale double-breasted gray suit whose ribs appeared in two subtly different shades.
    — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Now pink, brown, green and gray are turning up in sleep apps, audiology offices and bedtime routines, along with a few less familiar hues further out on the spectrum.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of gray

Browse Nearby Words

sun lamps
sunless
sunlight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sunless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sunless. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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