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

The Yankees don't have the time to sit around and sulk after losing their second-best player. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

Ronaldo was visibly shocked when his number was held up by the fourth official and sulked off the pitch before throwing the coat he had been handed on the floor of the United bench. —Elias Burke, The Athletic, 18 Aug. 2024

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