dour

adjective

ˈdau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce dour (audio) ˈdu̇r How to pronounce dour (audio)
Synonyms of dour
1
: stern, harsh
a dour expression on her face
2
: obstinate, unyielding
… an insistent hunger for learning and a dour … determination to achieve it.—Walter Moberly
3
: gloomy, sullen
a dour disposition
dourly adverb
dourness noun

Synonyms of dour

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Examples of dour in a Sentence

She had a dour expression on her face. the dour mood of the crowd
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Matt Reeves’ film is also on the dour side, without the genre-mixing playfulness that enlivens its predecessor and sequel. — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026 But then a dour security officer took him aside and gave the back of his power bank the stink eye. — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026 People have an unfortunate tendency to make this song sound dour, but Garcia fills it with energy. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg kept rewriting the script (because no one really knew what the movie was about), and Richard Burton was too dour and old and hungover. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dour

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin durus hard — more at during

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dour was in the 15th century

Rhymes for dour

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Browse Nearby Words

douppioni
dour
doura
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Cite this Entry

“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dour. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dour

adjective
ˈdu̇(ə)r How to pronounce dour (audio) ˈdau̇(ə)r How to pronounce dour (audio)
: looking or being stern or sullen
dourly adverb
dourness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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