sul´len|ness

sul´len|ness
sul|len «SUHL uhn», adjective.
1. silent because of bad humor or anger: »

a sullen disposition. That boy becomes sullen if he is punished. The sullen child refused to answer my questions.

2. showing bad humor or anger: »

a sullen silence.

SYNONYM(S): surly.
3. gloomy or dismal: »

a gray and sullen sea. The sullen skies threatened rain.

4. of a deep, dull, or mournful tone: »

sullen thunder.

5. Obsolete. baleful; malignant.
╂[earlier, also sollen, Middle English soleine < unrecorded Anglo-French solain, and solein < Vulgar Latin sōlānus < Latin sōlus alone]
–sul´len|ly, adverb.
–sul´len|ness, noun.
Synonym Study 1 Sullen, sulky, glum mean silent and bad-humored or gloomy. Sullen suggests an ill-natured refusal to talk or be cooperative because of anger or bad humor or disposition: »

It is disagreeable to have to sit at the breakfast table with a sullen person.

Sulky suggests moody or childish sullenness because of resentment or discontent: »

Dogs sometimes become sulky because they are jealous.

Glum emphasizes silence and low spirits because of some depressing condition or happening: »

He is glum about the results of the election.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • sul´len|ly — sul|len «SUHL uhn», adjective. 1. silent because of bad humor or anger: »a sullen disposition. That boy becomes sullen if he is punished. The sullen child refused to answer my questions. 2. showing bad humor or anger: »a sullen silence.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sul|len — «SUHL uhn», adjective. 1. silent because of bad humor or anger: »a sullen disposition. That boy becomes sullen if he is punished. The sullen child refused to answer my questions. 2. showing bad humor or anger: »a sullen silence. SYNONYM(S): surly …   Useful english dictionary

  • sul — sul·cal; sul·cate; sul·co·marginal; sul·cu·lus; sul·cus; sul·fa·cet·a·mide; sul·fa·diazine; sul·fa·guanidine; sul·fa·mate; sul·fa·mer·a·zine; sul·fa·meth·a·zine; sul·fa·mez·a·thine; sul·fam·ic; sul·fam·o·yl; sul·fa·nil·a·mide; sul·fan·i·late;… …   English syllables

  • ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… …   English syllables

  • len — aben·len; al·len·ic; al·len; al·len·tan·do; al·len·town; amil·len·ni·al; amil·len·ni·al·ism; amil·len·ni·al·ist; aph·e·len·chi·dae; aph·e·len·choi·des; aph·e·len·chus; ca·len·dra; ca·len·dri·cal; ca·len·du·la; ca·len·du·lin; cam·er·len·go;… …   English syllables

  • sullenness — sul·len·ness …   English syllables

  • sullen — sul|len [ sʌlən ] adjective 1. ) showing that you are in an unhappy mood, and do not want to talk a ) used about someone s expression or attitude: a sullen look 2. ) LITERARY if the sky or weather is sullen, it is dark and unpleasant ╾ sul|len|ly …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sullen — sul•len [[t]ˈsʌl ən[/t]] adj. 1) showing irritation or ill humor by a gloomy silence or reserve 2) persistently and silently ill humored; morose 3) indicative of gloomy ill humor 4) gloomy or dismal, as weather or a sound 5) sluggish, as a… …   From formal English to slang

  • Sullen — Sul len, a. [OE. solein, solain, lonely, sullen; through Old French fr. (assumed) LL. solanus solitary, fr. L. solus alone. See {Sole}, a.] 1. Lonely; solitary; desolate. [Obs.] Wyclif (Job iii. 14). [1913 Webster] 2. Gloomy; dismal; foreboding.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sullenly — Sullen Sul len, a. [OE. solein, solain, lonely, sullen; through Old French fr. (assumed) LL. solanus solitary, fr. L. solus alone. See {Sole}, a.] 1. Lonely; solitary; desolate. [Obs.] Wyclif (Job iii. 14). [1913 Webster] 2. Gloomy; dismal;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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