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Synonyms

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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) to look sullen or depressed

  2. to make or become dark or gloomy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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); glum

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.

Manufacturers in the Philippines flagged improving domestic and international demand as well, adding to signs that the tariff gloom hasn’t derailed Asian manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal

"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

“People are just done with doom and gloom,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Prayers were not enough for Maggie; “gloom rested on the future.”

From Literature

This positions bitcoin as a more long-term play, but in her opinion, current bitcoin doom and gloom will look “as dated as the early internet bubble calls.”

From MarketWatch