gloomy
/ˈɡluː.mi/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
If a place or day is gloomy, it is dark, dull, or not bright. It often feels sad, cold, or unfriendly. If a person is gloomy, they are unhappy and expect bad things.
- The room felt gloomy without any windows.
- He looked gloomy after the bad news.
- It was a gloomy afternoon with heavy clouds.
Adinary Nuance
Gloomy is stronger and darker than sad. Use sad for general unhappiness, moody for changing feelings, and gloomy when the mood feels heavy, dark, or discouraging. For weather or places, gloomy is more natural than unhappy or upset.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- u ám
- Spanish
- sombrío
- Chinese
- 阴郁
- Japanese
- 陰気な
- Korean
- 우울한
Etymology
Gloomy comes from the noun gloom, which meant darkness or sadness. Gloom appeared in English in the late Middle Ages, and gloomy developed later as an adjective.
Common phrases
gloomy weathera gloomy mooda gloomy outlookgloomy skies
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is gloomy a formal word?
- It is neutral, but slightly literary or descriptive. It works well in writing and everyday speech.
- What is the difference between gloomy and sad?
- Sad describes feelings. Gloomy suggests deeper unhappiness, or a dark and discouraging atmosphere.
- Can I use gloomy for weather?
- Yes. Gloomy is very common for dark, cloudy, rainy weather.
- Is gloomy used for people?
- Yes. It can describe a person who seems unhappy or pessimistic.