1
as in somber
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
sullen skies that matched our mood on the day of the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouting
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability
sullen and bored at his in-laws' house, he couldn't wait for the holidays to end
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sullen
Flowers brighter than the rose bloomed in the blackest of the heath for her; out of a sullen hollow in a livid hillside her mind could make an Eden.
—
Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
When this long, difficult, rewarding and validating Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a crashing halt Wednesday in Oklahoma City, a sullen group of players and coaches filed into the locker room to come to grips with it all.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Read Next: The Best Bass Flies As the bug lay silent on the water, a sullen chug echoed out of the darkness and Larry’s rod, silhouetted against the night sky, sprang into a dancing arc.
—Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 29 May 2025
The days’ loss was evident in his sullen expression, but his presence indicated his desire to play before Arniel confirmed it.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 6 June 2025
When this long, difficult, rewarding and validating Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a crashing halt Wednesday in Oklahoma City, a sullen group of players and coaches filed into the locker room to come to grips with it all.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Read Next: The Best Bass Flies As the bug lay silent on the water, a sullen chug echoed out of the darkness and Larry’s rod, silhouetted against the night sky, sprang into a dancing arc.
—Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 29 May 2025
The days’ loss was evident in his sullen expression, but his presence indicated his desire to play before Arniel confirmed it.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sullen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullen
Adjective
-
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s energetic capital, golden spires of the Royal Palace gleam above the river, while visits to the Killing Fields reveal the city’s somber history.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
The convention, originally planned as a celebratory coronation, transformed into a tense, somber, and ultimately pivotal gathering.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Many people were concerned about their financial situation, as the overall economic outlook was bleak.—
Rocky Sharma,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
-
Morale among agency staff is bleak, according to one CDC official who spoke on the condition that they not be named for fear of reprisals.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
Despite its self-destructive proclivities, the irritable giant has managed to make, and keep, a friend.—
Robin George Andrews,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
-
Determined to make a clean SPF, Brown says a chemical formula was out of the question (chemical sunscreens are often thought to be unsafe for the coral reef and irritable to sensitive skin types).—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
But men and women who are flying solo—without a spouse—typically report their lives to be less meaningful and more lonely.—
Brad Wilcox,
The Atlantic,
29 July 2025
-
The series is handsomely composed — NFL Films knows how to capture sunlight slanting through shoulder pads and the lonely geometry of empty stadiums.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Just picture it: a Bond car chase reimagined as a slow, sulky glide through fog and existential dread.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
28 June 2025
-
And at the play’s pinnacle, Stewart, an extraordinary trans actress, takes the show back from the sulky boys by performing a soft-limbed voguing solo, plunging to the floor as her braids twirl around her.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
There was also a 28% lower risk of falls, and a 22% lower incidence of depressive symptoms.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
-
A couple of small trials have even shown that following the Med diet for a few weeks may soften the severity of depressive symptoms in people who already have them.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
This is because, little under a year after being handed a landslide majority by the U.K. electorate, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is deeply unpopular and thrashing around for ways to appease a surly and resentful public.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
11 June 2025
-
This is exactly the productive, surly, still-in-his-prime player this team needs down the middle.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Scarlett tempted Zayn to use a lead pipe to show his dark side.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
This was courtesy of the changing wind direction, which picked up in strength as a few dark clouds gathered near the circuit, with some drivers even reporting a sprinkling of rain as Q2 got underway.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sullen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullen. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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