as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
he's got the mopes because his girlfriend is mad at him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lingers
to move or act slowly
we were in a rush, and the Sunday driver in front of us was just moping along
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouts
to silently go about in a bad mood
she's been moping all weekend because her boyfriend hasn't called even once
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mopes
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Freshly ditched by his friends, Chris mopes, dejected, as his mother drives.
—Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2024
Verb
At the conclusion of the episode, Greg mopes at home, tossing pennies into a jar from afar.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
Freshly ditched by his friends, Chris mopes, dejected, as his mother drives.
—Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mopes
Verb
-
The night footage is especially beautiful and memorable, and the careful handling of light shapes an aesthetic that lingers well beyond the final frame.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
-
Spiking energy costs as the war in the Middle East lingers.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The performance itself grows increasingly grating as the runtime drags on, particularly when Johnny’s scene partners overpower him by connecting deeper and doing less.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 May 2026
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The same logic should apply to the papering process itself, the document drafting and redlining that drags on long after the business points are ostensibly settled.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
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However, there has been a growing edge to Denver’s current group, personified on the field in the way safety Talanoa Hufanga flies to the ball and in the way Cooper scowls under his eye black.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
How often do smiles express happiness and scowls express anger?—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Mar. 2020
Verb
-
Developers often struggle to hire workers, which delays home construction and further increases prices.—
Maxwell Harden,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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Avoiding the conversation only delays the inevitable.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Seward tries on one of his safari jackets, based on a 1948 British army uniform, but Stéphane frowns at the fit.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Historically, Wall Street frowns on gift-giving between clients and bankers or Wall Street lawyers, particularly high-end gifts that could pose a conflict of interest.—
Ken Sweet,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Think about how often your toddler crawls near the dog bed or your kids toss pet toys around the living room.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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In the book, Grace drags Rocky back to his part of the ship, exposing himself to the Eridian environment; in the film, Rocky crawls back while Grace is unconscious.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Ray lavishes attention on another biker’s pet pillion, Kevin (Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters), Colin sulks until his master unzips his trousers and gives him a treat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Now the eldest of the Sully kids, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) sulks with survivor’s guilt, while teenage adoptee Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) questions her seemingly immaculate conception while deepening her connection to the all-knowing nature goddess Eywa.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Dec. 2025
Plural Noun
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The production, directed by Simon Godwin from a version by David Eldridge, takes a while to find itself, perhaps because Ibsen dumps exposition into an unbearably clunky first scene or because the play doesn’t introduce its heart, Hedvig, for nearly half an hour.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
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Volatile markets have put investment banking in the dumps, but there is a silver lining for Wall Street banks.—
Charley Grant,
WSJ,
13 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Mopes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mopes. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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