sullen

[suhl-uhn] / ˈsʌl ən /

ADJECTIVE

brooding, upset

Synonyms

STRONGEST

churlish dour gloomy glum grumpy hostile morose petulant somber surly ugly

WEAK

bad-tempered cheerless crabbed crabby cross cynical dismal dull fretful frowning glowering gruff heavy ill-humored inert irritable malevolent malicious malign mean moody obstinate ornery out of sorts peevish perverse pessimistic pouting pouty querulous saturnine silent sour sourpussed stubborn sulking sulky tenebrific tenebrous unsociable uptight

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agreeable bright cheerful friendly gentle happy joyful kind nice pleasant

WEAK

grinning

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Saturday Caracas time when the detonations began, lighting up the sullen sky like a post-New Year’s fireworks display.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2026

He said the teenager came across as an "unremarkable, sullen, untalkative, gawky teenage boy" during their sessions together.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

Those sullen teens trailing their parents toward the taco truck—why the hooded sweatshirts in 84-degree heat and 72-percent humidity?

From Slate • Aug. 13, 2025

Unlike so many queer films of the time, Lee’s movie was not a sullen documentary, nor was it about HIV/AIDS or gay people who get killed or turn out to be murderers themselves.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

The metal propeller blades dripped water into the bay, like sullen raindrops.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Vocabulary lists containing sullen

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