sullen

[ suhl-uhn ]

adjective

1. showing irritation or ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve.

   Antonyms: cheerful

2. persistently and silently ill-humored; morose.

   Synonyms: bad-tempered, cranky, sour, moody, sulky

   Antonyms: cheerful

3. indicative of gloomy ill humor.
4. gloomy or dismal, as weather or a sound.

   Synonyms: dark, mournful, somber, overcast, clouded, cheerless

5. sluggish, as a stream.

   Synonyms: stagnant, slow

6. Obsolete. malignant, as planets or influences.

sullen

/ ˈsʌlən /

adjective

1. unwilling to talk or be sociable; sulky; morose
2. sombre; gloomy

   a sullen day

3. literary.
   sluggish; slow

   a sullen stream

4. obsolete.
   threatening

noun

1. archaic.
   plural a sullen mood

Derived Forms

• ˈsullenness, noun
• ˈsullenly, adverb

Other Words From

• sul·len·ly adverb
• sul·len·ness noun
• un·sul·len adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sullen¹

First recorded in 1565–75; earlier sollen, solain, from Middle English solein(e), solain “sole, solitary, sullen,” possibly from Vulgar Latin sōlānus (unattested), from Latin sōlus “alone, only, single”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sullen¹

C16: perhaps from Anglo-French solain (unattested), ultimately related to Latin sōlus alone

Synonym Study

See cross. See glum.

Example Sentences

His mood was sullen, according to Meridith McGraw, author of Trump in Exile, an account of the former president’s time after leaving the White House.

From BBC

The feeling between Trump and McConnell is mutual — the former president once called the Kentucky Republican "a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack."

From Salon

Last Thursday, zookeepers noticed the usually playful and energetic bear became lethargic and sullen.

From Los Angeles Times

“You should have burnt to a crisp years ago, but here you are, sullen and aimless, but alive. That’s because at any given moment, somewhere, someone is playing that song that you hate so much. Lorna’s ‘Ballad’ is a protection spell.

From Los Angeles Times

The actress continued with the National Theatre for another two years including a performance as Mrs Sullen in the Restoration comedy The Beaux' Stratagem in Los Angeles.

From BBC

Related Words

• churlish
• dour
• gloomy
• glum
• grumpy
• hostile
• morose
• petulant
• somber
• surly
• ugly