Gloom — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈglüm/

Meaning & Definition of Gloom

Gloom (verb)

  1. to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent
  2. to be or become overcast
  3. to loom up dimly

Gloom (noun)

  1. partial or total darkness
  2. a dark or shadowy place
  3. lowness of spirits, dejection

Gloom (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state or spell of low spirits

    "has been in a perpetual gloom since his dog died"

    similar: blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness
    related: melancholia, self-pity, anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness, agony, distress, pain, misery, woe, wretchedness, discouragement, disheartenment, moodiness, despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair, boredom, ennui, tedium, dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity, regret, rue
    opposite: bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness
    near: gaiety, gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness, content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction, delight, gratification

  2. a time or place of little or no light

    "the gloom of a rainy night is the perfect setting for a mystery story"

    similar: black, blackness, candlelight, dark, darkness, dusk, gloaming, murk, night, semidarkness, shade, shadows, twilight, umbra
    related: midnight, blackout, brownout, dimout, shadiness, umbrage, dullness, somberness, cloudiness, fogginess, haziness, mistiness, murkiness, dimness, faintness, gloominess, grayness, paleness, half-light
    opposite: blaze, brightness, brilliance, day, daylight, glare, glow, light, lightness
    near: moonlight, starlight, sunlight, effulgence, radiance, radiancy, shine, sunshine, incandescence, luminance, luminescence, luminosity, luminousness

Gloom (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to look with anger or disapproval

    "we just sat there, glooming, as we waited and waited for our dinners to arrive"

    similar: frown, glare, glower, lower, scowl, look daggers
    related: gape, gaze, ogle, stare, grimace, pout, sulk, growl, snarl, sneer, snigger
    opposite: beam, grin, smile

  2. to take on a gloomy or forbidding look

    "he continued to gloom over the fact that he had been passed over for promotion to district manager"

    similar: darken, glower, lower
    related: frown, scowl, glare, stare, brood, mope, pet, pout, sulk, anger, bristle, fume, rage, steam, storm, intimidate, menace, threaten
    opposite: brighten, cheer (up), lighten, perk (up)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Gloom

The most common words with a similar meaning to Gloom:

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness, black, blackness, candlelight, dark, darkness, dusk, gloaming, murk, night, semidarkness, shade, shadows

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Gloom

Words with the opposite meaning of Gloom:

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness, blaze, brightness, brilliance, day, daylight, glare, glow, light, lightness

Related Words for Gloom

melancholia, self-pity, anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness, agony, distress, pain, misery, woe, wretchedness, discouragement, disheartenment, moodiness, despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair, boredom, ennui, tedium, dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity

Near Antonyms of Gloom

gaiety, gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness, cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness, content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction, delight, gratification, moonlight, starlight, sunlight, effulgence, radiance, radiancy, shine

Word Forms of Gloom

Inflections: gloomed, glooming, glooms

Origin & Etymology of Gloom

Middle English gloumen

First known use: 15th centuryi

Words & Phrases Containing Gloom

gloom and doom

Frequently Asked Questions about Gloom

What does "Gloom" mean?

"Gloom" means to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to look, feel, or act sullen or despondent. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Gloom"?

Other words for "Gloom" include blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence and despondency. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Gloom" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Gloom"?

There are 121 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Gloom". Common alternatives include blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness and dispiritedness.

What is the opposite of "Gloom"?

Antonyms of "Gloom" include bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration and exuberance. Near antonyms include gaiety, gayness, glee and gleefulness.

How do you use "Gloom" in a sentence?

Examples of "Gloom" in a sentence: "has been in a perpetual gloom since his dog died"; "the gloom of a rainy night is the perfect setting for a mystery story"; "we just sat there, glooming, as we waited and waited for our dinners to arrive".

Is "Gloom" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Gloom" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Gloom"?

"Gloom" is pronounced /ˈglüm/.

What is the origin of the word "Gloom"?

"Gloom" comes from Middle English gloumen. First known use: 15th centuryi.