gloom 1 of 2

Definition of gloomnext
1
2

gloom

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to glare
to look with anger or disapproval we just sat there, glooming, as we waited and waited for our dinners to arrive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to darken
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look he continued to gloom over the fact that he had been passed over for promotion to district manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gloom
Noun
The dystopian gloom seems to have infected the new Eden. Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026 The doom-and-gloom predictions of the education establishment, long lined up at the trough, haven’t come to pass. Editorial, Boston Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
But, there is still gloom ahead for economies in the region. Emiko Jozuka, CNN, 5 Oct. 2022 Our imperviousness to gloom is our own peculiar virtue. Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2022 See All Example Sentences for gloom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloom
Noun
  • There’s both comfort in finding myself in that child’s face, and also sadness.
    Benny Peterson, Vogue, 4 May 2026
  • Amid the sadness and uncertainty, though, one moment captured the aviation community rallying around its own.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Even the resort's concrete pathways serve the mission—instead of traditional lights, they are bordered by the faint green and blue light of glow-in-the-dark pebbles.
    Michael d'Estries, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026
  • Some disc golf discs have extra features that can range from being glow-in-the-dark to floating when landing in water.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • In addition to ignoring glaring inconsistencies in the sole eyewitness account, Kuby said prosecutors illegally hid from the defense benefits provided to the girl’s mom and buried evidence identifying the true killer provided by informants, who came forward years after the trial.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Zuccarello's absence has been glaring.
    Ren Clayton, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This dimming was attributed to the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022, which triggered a regional energy crisis and caused European nights to darken dramatically.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • Its charming glow is often visible even before the sky fully darkens, which is so fitting and poetic when considering both the planetary and astrological essence of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • The accident also caused other issues, including her short-term memory and balance, and led to a bout of depression.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 May 2026
  • Black people experience higher levels of early-life post-traumatic stress than white people and are more likely to suffer from chronic depression later in life.
    Jerel Ezell, STAT, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Observing tips The lunar disk is entirely bereft of shadows during the full moon phase, making this the perfect time to trace the outline of lunar maria — where lava flows filled colossal impact basins billions of years ago before hardening to form sweeping basaltic plains.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2026
  • The Harrison County Health Department notes dark clothing resembles the shadows where mosquitoes hide.
    Ryan Brennan May 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Leaving home without a hat, scarf, gloves, umbrella, and/or scowl.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
  • My sister was scowling and pacing the path outside my mother’s flat.
    Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • His reputation, as captured by obituaries in the Guardian and the Times of London, is one of genteel melancholy and precise social observation.
    Charlie Tyson, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Still, the achievement carried a touch of melancholy for Lovell.
    Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloom. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on gloom

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster