mope

American  

[mohp] / moʊp /

verb (used without object)

moped, moping

1. to be sunk in dejection or listless apathy; sulk; brood.

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verb (used with object)

moped, moping

1. to make dejected, listless, or apathetic.

noun

1. a person who mopes or is given to moping.

2. mopes, depressed spirits; blues.

mope British  

/ məʊp /

verb

1. to be gloomy or apathetic

   there's no time to mope

2. to move or act in an aimless way

   he moped around the flat

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noun

1. a gloomy person

Other Word Forms

• moper noun
• mopingly adverb
• mopy adjective

Etymology

Origin of mope

First recorded in 1560–70; variant of mop ²

Example Sentences

The alternative is to mope and boo and there's no future in that.

From BBC

They’d always been his fussiest fungi: the first to mope when the rains were too much, the first to stink when the rains were too little.

From Literature

And I will imagine myself on the high school stage four years from now, giving a valedictorian speech after beating Jonah by way more than half a point while he looks on, moping.

From Literature

As the days passed, Papa started moping around as if he didn’t have any life left in him.

From Literature

Everyone has noticed me moping around the house, but I’ve refused to talk about what happened.

From Literature

Related Words

• brood
• sulk