sullen

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.

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

After a pause, he returns to his usual sullen pitch and adds, “Well, the next generation tells time on their phones, so I figured no one was gonna miss this one.”

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2025

You never know how she’s going to react and while her large eyes are often sullen and sad, her expression unreadable, Dyrholm’s are wide and bright, verging on the edge of mania.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

I was sullen and dependent on my mother's sole attention, tender-hearted, and whiney: the classic temperament of the artist but without anything to show for my bad character.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez