glummer; glummest
1
: broodingly morose
became glum when they heard the news
2
: dreary, gloomy
a glum countenance
glumly adverb
glumness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for glum

sullen, glum, morose, surly, sulky, crabbed, saturnine, gloomy mean showing a forbidding or disagreeable mood.

sullen implies a silent ill humor and a refusal to be sociable.

remained sullen amid the festivities

glum suggests a silent dispiritedness.

a glum candidate left to ponder a stunning defeat

morose adds to glum an element of bitterness or misanthropy.

morose job seekers who are inured to rejection

surly implies gruffness and sullenness of speech or manner.

a typical surly teenager

sulky suggests childish resentment expressed in peevish sullenness.

grew sulky after every spat

crabbed applies to a forbidding morose harshness of manner.

the school's notoriously crabbed headmaster

saturnine describes a heavy forbidding aspect or suggests a bitter disposition.

a saturnine cynic always finding fault

gloomy implies a depression in mood making for seeming sullenness or glumness.

a gloomy mood ushered in by bad news

Examples of glum in a Sentence

There's no need to look so glum—things will get better soon. There was a glum silence in the room.
Recent Examples on the Web While the filming process may have left the actress feeling glum, her turn as the steely editor earned her multiple accolades — including a SAG award nomination and an Oscar nod. Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 Dour view of the economy South Carolina residents feel pretty glum about both the state and national economy, as well as their personal finances, according to a Winthrop University poll from May 2023. Tami Luhby, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Back in the locker room, the mood was only momentarily glum. Katherine Rosman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2024 That outcome adds to a glum picture for developers like Fortnite maker Epic, consumers, and governments from around the world that have been trying for years to loosen the restrictions Apple and Google maintain over downloading, paying for, and using apps on mobile devices. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024 Another question explores why economic attitudes are so glum. Gary Langer, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2024 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount) Fantasy had become incredibly glum and heavy thanks to Game of Thrones and its ilk, so directors and co-writers John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein zagged when others zigged, making a delightful romp with humor and heart. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Jan. 2024 There was one glimmer of good news in an otherwise glum week for Ukraine when the European Union agreed on Thursday to open negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc, following through on pledges made soon after Russia’s invasion last year. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2023 She is then escorted away by Atlanta police looking glum and not saying anything. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 9 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

akin to Middle English gloumen to gloom

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glum was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near glum

Cite this Entry

“Glum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glum. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glum

adjective
glummer; glummest
1
2
: seeming gloomy and sad
a glum expression
glumly adverb
glumness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on glum

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