sullen Definition
bad-tempered and sulky; gloomy.
Using sullen: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sullen" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He sat in sullen silence.
Example
She gave him a sullen look.
Example
The sky was sullen and overcast.
Example
He left the room with a sullen expression on his face.
sullen Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using sullen
Example
The sky was filled with sullen clouds, and it looked like it was going to rain.
Example
The sailors were afraid to venture out into the sullen sea.
Example
The little girl was a sullen child who refused to talk to anyone.
Phrases with sullen
Example
She was in a sullen mood all day.
Example
He retreated into sullen silence after the argument.
Example
Her son has become a sullen teenager who spends most of his time in his room.
Origins of sullen
from Old English 'sol' meaning 'dark, dusky'
Summary: sullen in Brief
'Sullen' [ˈsʌlən] describes a person or atmosphere that is bad-tempered, sulky, or gloomy. It can be used to describe a person's mood, as in 'He sat in sullen silence,' or the weather, as in 'The sky was sullen and overcast.' The phrase 'sullen teenager' refers to an adolescent who is uncommunicative and bad-tempered, while idioms like 'a sullen cloud' and 'a sullen sea' suggest a dark and foreboding atmosphere.
