mope
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a person who mopes or is given to moping.
-
mopes, depressed spirits; blues.
verb
-
to be gloomy or apathetic
there's no time to mope
-
to move or act in an aimless way
he moped around the flat
noun
Other Word Forms
- moper noun
- mopingly adverb
- mopy adjective
Etymology
Origin of mope
First recorded in 1560–70; variant of mop 2
Explanation
When you're bummed out, I bet you sometimes mope. Moping is something people do when they're feeling gloomy and doomy and sad. Moping never solved a problem, but we all do it when things aren't going our way. A moping person is usually frowning, slouched over, quiet, and maybe even lying down. We mope when we're sad, but part of moping is directed at other people, because moping is at least a little public. When someone says you're "moping around," they can tell you're trying to let everyone know how sad you are. To mope is to say "Hey! Somebody cheer me up!"
Vocabulary lists containing mope
"The Mixer," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Open Window"
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"Sisters" by Raina Telgemeier
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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.
It was frustrating to watch Carrie, Charlotte and Miranda mope around the first two seasons, trying to find their place in a world that changed too fast for them to keep up.
From Salon • Jul. 15, 2025
Fortunately, Sennott is entertaining even as a mope.
From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024
"There's no time to mope around. The senior players have got to get the whole squad together and go 'we've got six games to go here'."
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2024
“I didn’t sit around and mope all day. I trusted coach. I trusted him all the way and I’m still with him. And five years later, I’m still here.”
From Seattle Times • Mar. 18, 2023
Hyacinth felt responsible for the failed outreach as she watched Jessie mope; after all, Jessie had wanted Hyacinth to do the first Beiderman mission.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
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.
