sullen

/'sʌlən/

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Explanation of "Sullen"

Definition:
The word "sullen" is an adjective used to describe someone who is gloomy, moody, or silent, often because they are unhappy or angry. It can also refer to the weather, particularly when it is cloudy and dark, creating a feeling of heaviness.

Examples:

1. Describing a Person:

   • "After losing the game, Tom sat in a sullen silence, refusing to talk to anyone."

2. Describing Weather:

   • "The sky was sullen, filled with dark clouds that threatened rain."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced contexts, "sullen" can describe not just a person's mood but also a general atmosphere or environment that feels heavy and uninviting.

Word Variants:

• Sullenness (noun): The state of being sullen.

  • "Her sullenness made it hard for her friends to cheer her up."

• Sullenly (adverb): In a sullen manner.

  • "He sullenly walked away from the party."

Different Meanings:

1. Emotional State: Gloomy or moody.
2. Weather Condition: Dark and heavy skies, often threatening rain.

Synonyms:

• Gloomy
• Morose
• Sulky
• Glum
• Brooding
• Dour

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there aren't specific idioms or phrasal verbs that use "sullen," you might find expressions that convey a similar mood: - "In a funk" - Feeling sad or in a low mood. - "Clouds hanging over someone" - Feeling gloomy or troubled, similar to the metaphorical use of "sullen" for weather.

Summary:

"Sullen" is a versatile word that describes a gloomy mood in people or dark, heavy weather. It carries connotations of unhappiness and can be used in various contexts to express dissatisfaction or melancholy.

Academic

Adjective

1. darkened by clouds
   • a heavy sky
2. showing a brooding ill humor
   • a dark scowl
   • the proverbially dour New England Puritan
   • a glum, hopeless shrug
   • he sat in moody silence
   • a morose and unsociable manner
   • a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius- Bruce Bliven
   • a sour temper
   • a sullen crowd

Synonyms

• heavy
• lowering
• threatening
• dark
• dour
• glowering
• glum
• moody
• morose
• saturnine
• sour