Synonyms for

Gloomy

Verb / ˈglu:mi: / Another word for gloomy — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Gloomy means dark, dim, and depressing.

Synonyms & similar words

dark downhearted drab dingy sulky dreary sorry downcast dismal lowspirited gloomful grim dispirited disconsolate down depressed downinthemouth drear low blue glooming dark dreary dispiriting dismal gloaming glooming cloudy depressing forbidding funereal grim hopeless melancholic miserable murky overcast pessimistic sombre sunless unhappy

Synonyms by register

Formal

somber melancholy despondent lugubrious

Informal

down bummed out depressed blue

Literary

crepuscular tenebrous shadowy

Antonyms

cheerful happy bright joyful sunny optimistic lighthearted

Common collocations

  • gloomy weather
  • gloomy mood
  • gloomy atmosphere
  • gloomy outlook
  • gloomy day
  • gloomy prospects
  • gloomy expression

Word family

noun gloom
adjective gloomy
adverb gloomily

Usage note

Gloomy primarily describes a feeling of sadness or a lack of light and cheer. It can refer to weather, mood, or atmosphere.

Example sentences

  1. The gloomy weather ruined our picnic plans.
  2. The old haunted house looked gloomy and scary.
  3. She had a gloomy expression on her face.
  4. The movie had a gloomy ending.
  5. The dark clouds made the sky look gloomy.

Quotes

  • Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise. - Victor Hugo
  • Gloom and despondency have never defeated adversity. - Abraham Lincoln
  • The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure but from hope to hope. - Samuel Johnson

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