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
  • Their traditional decor centers around darker fabrics and pale wall coverings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Eventually, a gun-free compromise was found, though the opening act of the movie would remain surprisingly bleak and emotionally complex.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Some of them are orphans or runaways, and so the environment is pretty bleak.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • That’s why even a creator with millions of followers can be lonely inside a system.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • One problem with all these efforts to mitigate old-age loneliness, Schiller notes, is that the loneliest generation is actually Gen Z.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • The Gwi Realm is a desolate, crimson wasteland littered with malevolent presence, so naturally there have been comparisons to that other little Netflix show called Stranger Things.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • However desolate Mars may appear from afar, there is certainly no shortage of activity on its surface — or discoveries still waiting to be made.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Reports indicate that Rhode Islanders are facing issues related to depression, depressive symptoms, and overall mental health, reflecting continued demand for mental health and community support services throughout the state.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, Ascend Agency, 28 July 2026
  • Those in the strawberry group improved on verbal learning tests and reported better mood and fewer depressive symptoms.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
Definition of depressive
Adjective
  • The song arrives alongside a cinematic, albeit somewhat depressing, video directed by Mikai Karl and starring distinctive French character actor Denis Lavant (Beau Travail, Mauvais Sang).
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 15 July 2026
  • In addition to which, the Moon is lined up with stern Saturn, which can be depressing.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 July 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • For the past four decades, July was always a somber month for the McDonalds, a reminder of the moment that changed their family's lives.
    — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Less than two months after her historic victory to become Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi Sanae stood before a bank of microphones and opposition lawmakers, looking somber.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of somber
Adjective
  • Promotional stills, tour visuals and social content have followed the same restrained palette of black, white and grey, with color largely absent from official imagery.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • On April 29, 2001, the duo was spotted in New York City’s Central Park wearing similar baseball caps and brown-and-gray outfits.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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