glum

[ gluhm ]
/ glʌm /

adjective, glum·mer, glum·mest.

sullenly or silently gloomy; dejected.

Origin of glum

1425–75; late Middle English; variant of gloom

SYNONYMS FOR glum

moody, sulky; despondent, melancholy. Glum, morose, sullen, dour, surly all are adjectives describing a gloomy, unsociable attitude. Glum describes a depressed, spiritless condition or manner, usually temporary rather than habitual: a glum shrug of the shoulders; a glum, hopeless look in his eye. Morose, which adds to glum a sense of bitterness, implies a habitual and pervasive gloominess: a sour, morose manner; morose withdrawal from human contact. Sullen usually implies reluctance or refusal to speak accompanied by glowering looks expressing anger or a sense of injury: a sullen manner, silence, look. Dour refers to a stern and forbidding aspect, stony and unresponsive: dour rejection of friendly overtures. Surly implies gruffness of speech and manner, usually accompanied by an air of injury and ill temper: a surly reply.

OTHER WORDS FROM glum

glum·ly, adverb glum·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for glumness

British Dictionary definitions for glumness

glum
/ (ɡlʌm) /

adjective glummer or glummest

silent or sullen, as from gloom

Derived forms of glum

glumly, adverb glumness, noun

Word Origin for glum

C16: variant of gloom