1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
has been in a perpetual gloom since his dog died
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dark
a time or place of little or no light
the gloom of a rainy night is the perfect setting for a mystery story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Sho Dewan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
New Moon is decidedly the least-beloved Twilight movie due to its slower plot, excessive doom and gloom, and Edward’s absence.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2025
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
Noun
Con: You Miss Your Team Members Who Made The Job Worthwhile
A toxic workplace isn’t always doom and gloom.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
New Moon is decidedly the least-beloved Twilight movie due to its slower plot, excessive doom and gloom, and Edward’s absence.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2025
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
-
Industrial applications: Construction projects and other industries that typically slow down after dark could potentially operate around the clock.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Her timing’s great, and my character’s a little dark, a little more serious.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The inability to deal with the first ball was glaring at Goodison Park at the start of February.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Kennedy’s subversion of vaccines, subtle at times, glaring at others, goes far beyond the measles outbreak.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Pigments darken the lashes, while oils and waxes help thicken them and give your lashes a boost of volume.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA TODAY,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Apparently, the concert’s pyrotechnics, located directly underneath the banners, literally darkened the legacy of the team in a way the stories of Michael Jordan’s gambling and Dennis Rodman’s smelliness never could.—
Jesse David Fox,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The 10 Best Movies Leaving Netflix In March 2025 Aftersun (2022) Few movies from the 2020s have hit me quite as hard as Aftersun, a movie about not only dealing with depression, but being close to somebody dealing with depression.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Sleep deficiency is also linked to diabetes, stroke, and mental health conditions like depression.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But halfway into the season, Moiraine has mostly done a lot of staring and a little bit of really amateurish manipulation that backfires spectacularly.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Zegler also shared a final retro-style clip of herself while looking off to the side and staring at the camera, laughing.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The idea of dreaming beyond that was not commonplace, and in a lot of instances it was frowned upon.—
Ismail Muhammad,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents frowned only a little less on Zuckerberg, with 60% holding unfavorable views and 34% favorable.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PCMAG,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
There’s some comedy in there, but all the laughs are so blunted by a determined melancholy that nothing really lands.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Moving and melancholy, Chalamet’s performance brought him widespread awards recognition including SAG, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Out of all this darkness comes light: the black foil’s silvery underbelly scintillates.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Despite this, there are many instances of light counteracting darkness, and plenty of conversation-starters with kids around beauty, empathy, and influence.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloom. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share