gloom

American  

[gloom] / glum /

noun

1. total or partial darkness; dimness.

   Synonyms:

   obscurity, shade, shadow

   Antonyms:

   brightness

2. a state of melancholy or depression; low spirits.

   Synonyms:

   sadness, despondency, dejection

   Antonyms:

   cheerful

3. a despondent or depressed look or expression.

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verb (used without object)

1. to appear or become dark, dim, or somber.

2. to look sad, dismal, or dejected; frown.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill with gloom; make gloomy or sad; sadden.

2. to make dark or somber.

gloom British  

/ ɡluːm /

noun

1. partial or total darkness

2. a state of depression or melancholy

3. an appearance or expression of despondency or melancholy

4. poetic a dim or dark place

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verb

1. (intr) to look sullen or depressed

2. to make or become dark or gloomy

Other Word Forms

• gloomful adjective
• gloomfully adverb
• gloomless adjective
• outgloom verb (used with object)
• undergloom noun
• ungloom verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of gloom

1300–50; Middle English gloumben, glomen to frown, perhaps representing Old English *glūmian (akin to early German gläumen to make turbid); see glum

Explanation

Gloom is a hazy darkness or dimness. The gloom of a moonless autumn evening is perfect for trick-or-treating, but not so perfect for sizing up your candy stash. It might make you nervous to walk in the gloom of your friend's rural neighborhood at night if you're used to well-lit city streets. And while gloom perfectly describes the near-dark of dusk or a foggy evening, it can also describe a dark, dismal mood. Your brother's gloom when his favorite basketball team loses in the playoffs will only deepen if your favorite team wins the tournament. Gloom is a Scottish word, originally meaning "a sullen look."

Example Sentences

No, the picture is not entirely doom and gloom — the push for renewable energy is breaking all kinds of records, too, reaching roughly 50% of global energy capacity last year.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

For now, though, the weakness in bank stocks looks more like a temporary dislocation for some of the big banks and not a harbinger of economic doom and gloom.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

This time around, consumers were already gloomy, but their gloom hasn’t deepened appreciably.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

"We've created some micro-climates in the house and for me I don't feel the gloom because I simply move from one room to the other," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

How can I escape from this dreadful thing of night and gloom and fear?

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

• anguish
• bitterness
• despair
• discouragement
• doldrums
• foreboding
• grief
• horror
• malaise
• misery
• pessimism
• sadness
• sorrow
• weariness
• woe