broody
Americanadjective
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moody; gloomy.
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inclined to sit on eggs.
a broody hen.
adjective
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moody; meditative; introspective
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(of poultry) wishing to sit on or hatch eggs
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informal (of a woman) wishing to have a baby of her own
Usage
What does broody mean? Broody is an adjective that means moody or gloomy, as in When I’m feeling broody, I paint dark pictures to match my mood. Broody is a neutral word. It describes a person’s emotions or personality. Sometimes, a fictional character who is broody is actually considered attractive or interesting. For example, Batman is a famously broody superhero, and many fans love him for it. Broody also describes an urge to sit on eggs, as in Our favorite hen is broody, sitting on her eggs all day long. Example: Whenever Jordan is feeling broody, he listens to sad music to help express how he feels.
Other Word Forms
- broodiness noun
Etymology
Origin of broody
Vocabulary lists containing broody
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.
"I'm so broody," the 29-year-old tells the BBC Access All podcast.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2025
Lucifer seemed likely to trounce broody hero Dream initially — until he asked, “What kills hope?”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2023
The pink-hued Warner Bros. movie was pitted against Christopher Nolan’s broody “Oppenheimer” in the cinematic standoff now known as “Barbenheimer.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2023
Both are about female scientists who fall for, well, broody, emotionless science men.
From Washington Post • Aug. 20, 2022
Frightful was too broody to notice what was going on below her, but not 426.
From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
