1
: stern, harsh
a dour expression on her face
2
: obstinate, unyielding
an insistent hunger for learning and a dour … determination to achieve itWalter Moberly
3
: gloomy, sullen
a dour disposition
dourly adverb
dourness noun

Examples of dour in a Sentence

She had a dour expression on her face. the dour mood of the crowd
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Kyle, who passed away in 2016, was a proper ‘dour Scotsman’. Felipe Schrieberg, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 If anything, this dour assessment proved overly optimistic: After six months and a multitude of rejections from US banks, Khan gave up. Joel Khalili, Wired News, 23 July 2025 Ben Affleck makes the most dour Batman imaginable; Cavill is forced to spend much of the movie looking noble and pained. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 July 2025 But as written, and as played by Thorne, Riri is so dour, and so flat, that Ironheart all but grinds to a halt whenever a scene is primarily about the series’ protagonist. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dour

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin durus hard — more at during

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dour was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dour. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

dour

adjective
: looking or being stern or sullen
dourly adverb
dourness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dour

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