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as in sad
feeling unhappiness has been gloomy ever since the breakup with his girlfriend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gloomy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gloomy are bleak, cheerless, desolate, dismal, and dreary. While all these words mean "devoid of cheer or comfort," gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise.

gloomy war news

When might bleak be a better fit than gloomy?

While in some cases nearly identical to gloomy, bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten.

the bleak years of the depression

When would cheerless be a good substitute for gloomy?

In some situations, the words cheerless and gloomy are roughly equivalent. However, cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering.

a drab and cheerless office

When is desolate a more appropriate choice than gloomy?

The meanings of desolate and gloomy largely overlap; however, desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect.

a desolate outpost

When can dismal be used instead of gloomy?

While the synonyms dismal and gloomy are close in meaning, dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess.

dismal weather

Where would dreary be a reasonable alternative to gloomy?

The words dreary and gloomy can be used in similar contexts, but dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility.

a dreary job

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gloomy The gloomy earnings outlook comes after a wide array of other retailers gave weak forecasts for the current quarter or the year ahead amid concerns about sliding consumer confidence and the impact tariffs and inflation could have on spending. Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025 Some of the more anxious among us (OK, me) might even push that to pre-spring, as in late February or early March, if only to provide a beacon of hope during the year’s gloomiest months. Mary McNamara, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2025 Earlier this year, wildfires in Southern California burned through Los Angeles’ historic landmarks—a gloomy parallel to this week’s tragedies in South Korea. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025 An executive at FedEx has issued a gloomy warning for the U.S. economy, which is already grappling with fears over an impending recession. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gloomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloomy
Adjective
  • All of these episodes have different types of endings: There’s bleak to total cliffhanger to sentimental.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Some practical frameworks and strategies enable leaders to maintain stability, foster engagement, and position their teams for success even when the economic outlook appears bleak.
    Kara Dennison, SPHR, CPRW, EC, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.
    Rachel Ng, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The week continues to build excitement with the Celtic Cross Mass and Ceremony (this year on Sunday, March 9) and the beautiful and somber Sgt.
    Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025
  • A lot of emotions — excitement and rejuvenation about joining a new team but also reflective and somber about his tenure in Boston coming to an end.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And so by some sociologists, camp is thought to be this form of dark humor serving as a coping mechanism to historical marginalization.
    Sam Reed, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Editor’s tip: Niacinamide is a multitasker that blurs the look of dark spots, evens your skin tone, and balances your complexion.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some people thought that was too depressing or whatever.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Many learned the depressing answer only when trying to scan badges and getting rejected by security, which treated them more or less like trespassers.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The detective here, blending a couple of characters from the book, is Inspector Leach, a depressed drinker so unkempt one wonders why he hasn’t been put on administrative leave.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
  • To my dismay, the leader started feeling depressed rather than taking the actions that were most required.
    Sonal Jain, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Details are still murky with the plan yet to be formally presented to the all-powerful ICC board.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The process, however, has been murky based on which military branch people are looking to return to, with only the Navy offering a solid idea of the decision.
    Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gloomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloomy. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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