sulk

1 of 2

verb

ˈsəlk 

sulked; sulking; sulks

intransitive verb

: to be moodily silent

sulk

2 of 2

noun

1

: the state of one sulking

—often used in plural

had a case of the sulks

2

: a sulky mood or spell

in a sulk

Synonyms

Verb

• grump
• mope
• pout

Noun

• grouch
• hump [British]
• pet
• pouts
• snit
• sulkiness
• sullenness

Examples of sulk in a Sentence

Verb

He went to sulk in his room.

She has been sulking all day.

Noun

a child sitting in a sulk over a minor disagreement

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

After a heartbreaking loss to their arch-rival Wolverines, the Buckeyes had two choices: sulk or soar. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025

From the audience under the rotunda, Republicans gleamed their approval and Democrats sulked in opposition — a piece of theater that, in miniature, encapsulated the broader partisan divisions and cultural differences that practically define American politics in the modern era. —Mike Lillis, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025

Noun

Chalamet sulks and talks out of the side of his mouth, picking from a grab bag of accents that vary with each scene—all of which are far more reedy and cartoonish than Dylan actually sounded in his younger days. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2024

Lucius, at best, looks like someone engaged in a prolonged sulk. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from sulky

First Known Use

Verb

1781, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1804, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sulk

• in a sulk

Kids Definition

sulk

1 of 2 verb

ˈsəlk 

: to be silently angry, upset, or irritable

sulk

2 of 2 noun

1

: the state of one sulking

—often used in plural

had a case of the sulks

2

: a sulky mood

was in a sulk