gloom 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gloomnext
1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits has been in a perpetual gloom since his dog died

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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

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gloom

2 of 2

verb

ˈglüm How to pronounce gloom (audio)
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

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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

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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 Spaniard’s arrival has lifted the gloom that collected over Stamford Bridge in the final weeks of a 2025-26 campaign, which ended in a 10th-place finish in the Premier League. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 With the belated realization that the Chinese had indeed overtaken them in the burgeoning electric-vehicle business, the world’s other car-makers descended into doom and gloom. — Jamie Kitman, Air Mail, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
Their allusion to the night refers not to gloom but to evening intimacies, the pianist and scholar Kenneth Hamilton said in an interview. — New York Times, 13 Aug. 2021 The more doom and gloom the policy makers incorporate into their scenarios before setting market prices and rules, the safer the grid can be. — Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 26 Feb. 2021 See All Example Sentences for gloom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloom
  1. sadness
  2. dark
  3. glare
  4. darken
  5. depression
  6. shadows
  7. scowl
  8. melancholy
Noun
  • For example, expressing appreciation for past help or thanking the doctor for their time was more helpful than emphasizing sadness or frustration.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But our frustrations and inconvenience pale in comparison to the sadness of those who knew the deceased or to the trauma the drivers involved experienced.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Lastly, the sneaker’s marbled outsole has been given a glow-in-the-dark treatment — a longtime staple of Nike’s Halloween sneakers.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For a taste of the Mediterranean, Beach Rogue, with its after-dark DJ and near-promise of shark sightings, is the spot to book.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dark
Verb
  • Still no Mohamed Salah replacement, still no holding midfielder, and still no full-back reinforcements, despite the glaring weakness in both positions.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This is, of course, projection; eagles are always glaring suspiciously.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of glare
Verb
  • Saturn is evident for much of the night, appearing low in the eastern sky as the sky darkens and reaching its highest point in the southern sky soon after midnight.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • During a partial lunar eclipse that peaked just after midnight on Friday, Earth’s shadow darkened parts of the moon’s visible surface.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of darken
Noun
  • Hollows haven’t been found elsewhere on planets in our solar system, and with no wind or water to form the thousands of puzzling depressions, scientists want to know what forces sculpted them.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Symptoms include fever, depression, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • The group uncovers betrayal within its own ranks and faces a battle for the fate of the world, ultimately awakening their true powers and restoring peace, though a new threat emerges quietly in the shadows.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Why not try to capture the moon using a DSLR camera and a telephoto lens when the Harvest Moon rises and in the weeks that follow to track how the shifting shadows alter its appearance?
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadows
Verb
  • Whether his teams were good or bad, his outspoken and occasionally scowling personality almost always commanded the room.
    — Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The note was written on Cohn’s personal stationery, imprinted with a scowling caricature of himself.
    — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of scowl
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy

Browse Nearby Words

gloms
gloom
gloomed
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Cite this Entry

“Gloom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloom. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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