as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a dour prison guard who didn't look like he'd be very understanding
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dour
Javier Ignacio is both soothing and snippy as the Beast’s confidante Cogsworth, a clock, while Cameron Monroe Thomas adds vivacity to the dour castle as the feather duster Babette.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Moss’ dour expression, over-relied upon for silent exposition throughout six seasons, conveys terror in the here and now, as well as for a future where fear is replaced by acquiescence.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
In 2005, Ghalibaf wore a white suit at some campaign events, apparently to present a more moderate image, in stark contrast to the generally dour fashion sense of most politicians.
—Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Conversely, a struggling Tatis eventually becomes a dour Tatis.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dour
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Moss’ dour expression, over-relied upon for silent exposition throughout six seasons, conveys terror in the here and now, as well as for a future where fear is replaced by acquiescence.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
In 2005, Ghalibaf wore a white suit at some campaign events, apparently to present a more moderate image, in stark contrast to the generally dour fashion sense of most politicians.
—Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Conversely, a struggling Tatis eventually becomes a dour Tatis.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
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But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
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The son of a Scottish immigrant, McCluskie had a reputation as a political street fighter and his gruff style complemented Becerra’s more measured, cerebral approach.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Both those films centered on women whose grim worlds were closing in on them — a tomboyish auto mechanic in Closeness; a nurse and the frontline friend who turns on her in Beanpole.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
In a world living in the shadow of the mushroom cloud, the vault was a grim reminder that after nearly two hundred years, the American experiment needed to be defended.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jansa has been a stern critic of Golob's government, including Slovenia's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
Christophe is the spry, imaginative middle child to a stern farmer dad in an economically depressed countryside.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Restitution can be a very intimidating process, for which there are very few ways to find out where to start, who to talk to.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
-
His matchups this week aren’t too intimidating.—
Andy Behrens,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Elsewhere, Juventus was roundly jeered after losing 2-0 at home to fierce rivals Fiorentina, while Como held on for a 1-0 win over Parma to leave Cesc Fàbregas’ team still in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League just seven years after playing in Italy's fourth division.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
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In the remote native villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, on the coast of the Bering Sea, Halong’s fierce flooding lifted homes off their foundations and carried them down a river with people still inside.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Located on the doorstep of wild and rugged country, King Salmon serves regularly as a refueling stop for hunting parties and as a place to get information on the location and abundance of game.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
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Developers advertised the rugged mesa—framed by the Santa Monica Mountains to the east and the ocean to the west—as an escape from the dust and noise of the growing city of Los Angeles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
In other words, the status quo of ed tech is bleak.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
Like its gruesome predecessors, his latest full-length work features adorably designed anthropomorphic animals (and mushrooms) navigating bleak realities and confronting existentialist concerns.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Women, people of color, and first-generation professionals were too often told their accurate perceptions of hostile environments were merely internal distortions.—
Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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Others, like Michael (Doon Mackichan), seem openly hostile.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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