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as in sad
feeling unhappiness has been gloomy ever since the breakup with his girlfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gloomy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gloomy are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dismal, and dreary. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

When might bleak be a better fit than gloomy?

While in some cases nearly identical to gloomy, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When would cheerless be a good substitute for gloomy?

In some situations, the words cheerless and gloomy are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

When is desolate a more appropriate choice than gloomy?

The meanings of desolate and gloomy largely overlap; however, desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

When can dismal be used instead of gloomy?

While the synonyms dismal and gloomy are close in meaning, dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

Where would dreary be a reasonable alternative to gloomy?

The words dreary and gloomy can be used in similar contexts, but dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

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 gloomy The gloomy earnings outlook comes after a wide array of other retailers gave weak forecasts for the current quarter or the year ahead amid concerns about sliding consumer confidence and the impact tariffs and inflation could have on spending. Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025 Some of the more anxious among us (OK, me) might even push that to pre-spring, as in late February or early March, if only to provide a beacon of hope during the year’s gloomiest months. Mary McNamara, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2025 Earlier this year, wildfires in Southern California burned through Los Angeles’ historic landmarks—a gloomy parallel to this week’s tragedies in South Korea. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025 An executive at FedEx has issued a gloomy warning for the U.S. economy, which is already grappling with fears over an impending recession. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gloomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloomy
Adjective
  • The coming-of-age story finds a new generation of young women in Gilead, grappling with the bleak future that awaits them.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Stocks had sold off sharply last Friday, amid growing uncertainty on U.S. trade policy and a bleak inflation outlook.
    Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.
    Rachel Ng, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The week continues to build excitement with the Celtic Cross Mass and Ceremony (this year on Sunday, March 9) and the beautiful and somber Sgt.
    Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The mood at the event was anything but somber, though.
    Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Store green tea products in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Page Turner sees the Page family consumed by the literary world — each in their own way — as its dark, foundational secret runs the risk of exposure.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Many learned the depressing answer only when trying to scan badges and getting rejected by security, which treated them more or less like trespassers.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Meantime, brands that have thus far managed to weather a wider luxury downturn and depressed consumer spending, such as Hermes , could be best placed to pass on price rises.
    Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
  • However, the knock-on effects — namely, depressed U.S. consumer spending and a pullback in ad budgets — would clearly cut into Hollywood’s profits, according to analysts.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Details are still murky with the plan yet to be formally presented to the all-powerful ICC board.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The process, however, has been murky based on which military branch people are looking to return to, with only the Navy offering a solid idea of the decision.
    Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gloomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloomy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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