glum
adjective
ˈgləm 
glummer; glummest
1
: broodingly morose
became glum when they heard the news
2
: dreary, gloomy
a glum countenance
glumly adverb
glumness noun
Synonyms
- black
- bleak
- cheerless
- chill
- Cimmerian
- cloudy
- cold
- comfortless
- dark
- darkening
- depressing
- depressive
- desolate
- dire
- disconsolate
- dismal
- drear
- dreary
- dreich [chiefly Scottish]
- elegiac
- elegiacal
- forlorn
- funereal
- gloomy
- godforsaken
- gray
- grey
- lonely
- lonesome
- lugubrious
- miserable
- morbid
- morose
- murky
- plutonian
- saturnine
- sepulchral
- solemn
- somber
- sombre
- sullen
- sunless
- tenebrific
- tenebrous
- wretched
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 But Fraser doesn’t play him with a heavy, glum, downbeat vibe. 
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2022 The glum economic mood — especially around gas prices — also poses a huge political issue for the Biden administration going into the midterm elections. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 27 July 2022 This book on the plight of coral reefs spikes the normally glum discourse about ocean conservation with a measure of capitalist techno-optimism, arguing that a combination of marine science and smart business could yet bring salvation. The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 For the most part, though, the capital soon settled back into a familiar, glum routine of making do with far too little. Pamela Constable, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 But the mood among many is glum in the face of a new threat: censorship. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2022 After a long, glum winter of batch soups and stews, the first warm day of spring sent him reeling. Helen Longstreth, The New Yorker, 17 July 2022 Despite all those glum headlines, overall U.S. hiring was up 0.4% [month-over-month]. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 June 2022 It’s not just Wall Street that is increasingly glum. New York Times, 14 June 2022 See More
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2022 The glum economic mood — especially around gas prices — also poses a huge political issue for the Biden administration going into the midterm elections. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 27 July 2022 This book on the plight of coral reefs spikes the normally glum discourse about ocean conservation with a measure of capitalist techno-optimism, arguing that a combination of marine science and smart business could yet bring salvation. The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 For the most part, though, the capital soon settled back into a familiar, glum routine of making do with far too little. Pamela Constable, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 But the mood among many is glum in the face of a new threat: censorship. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2022 After a long, glum winter of batch soups and stews, the first warm day of spring sent him reeling. Helen Longstreth, The New Yorker, 17 July 2022 Despite all those glum headlines, overall U.S. hiring was up 0.4% [month-over-month]. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 June 2022 It’s not just Wall Street that is increasingly glum. New York Times, 14 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
akin to Middle English gloumen to gloom
First Known Use
1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
glum
adjective
ˈgləm
glummer; glummest
: gloomy and sad
a glum expression
"You probably don't ever get in trouble anyway," said Bean, feeling glum. "I'm always in trouble." Annie Barrows, Ivy {amp} Bean
Annie Barrows, Ivy {amp} Beanglum
adjective
1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the usual glum waiting room at the tax collector's office a cold, glum day Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bleak
- somber
- depressing
- depressive
- lonely
- dark
- darkening
- desolate
- solemn
- lonesome
- murky
- morbid
- morose
- gray
- cold
- gloomy
- depressed
- miserable
- cheerless
- sullen
- lugubrious
- dreary
- blue
- disconsolate
- sad
- forlorn
- dismal
- black
- wretched
- chill
- funereal
- saturnine
- drear
- melancholy
- dire
- grey
- sombre
- sepulchral
- cloudy
- elegiac
- comfortless
- dejected
- oppressive
- godforsaken
- dreich
- unhappy
- woebegone
- tenebrous
- grim
- sunless
- dull
- despondent
- hopeless
- desperate
- melancholic
- mirthless
- pessimistic
- mournful
- hangdog
- elegiacal
- dispiriting
- dim
- negative
- plutonian
- discouraging
- woeful
- dour
- droopy
- distressful
- inconsolable
- dismaying
- sorrowful
- disheartening
- tenebrific
- drab
- upsetting
- menacing
- discomfiting
- down
- Cimmerian
- distressing
- low
- lamentable
- plaintive
- colorless
- threatening
- louring
- lowery
- lowering
- loury
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheerful
- cheery
- bright
- festive
- friendly
- jolly
- sunshiny
- joyous
- joyful
- buoyant
- merry
- cordial
- optimistic
- gay
- mirthful
- comforting
- blithe
- hopeful
- gay
- cheering
- blithesome
- encouraging
- heartwarming
- jocund
- lighthearted
- lightsome
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness how can you be glum after such a great day? Synonyms & Similar Words
- depressed
- sad
- unhappy
- miserable
- heartbroken
- melancholy
- bad
- gloomy
- dejected
- sorry
- worried
- upset
- downcast
- mournful
- crestfallen
- downhearted
- woebegone
- sorrowful
- doleful
- joyless
- hopeless
- disconsolate
- disappointed
- uneasy
- forlorn
- despondent
- melancholic
- hangdog
- troubled
- heartsick
- depressing
- blue
- woeful
- droopy
- saddened
- inconsolable
- wretched
- heavyhearted
- down
- distressed
- low-spirited
- brokenhearted
- heartsore
- suicidal
- discouraged
- cast down
- despairing
- bleak
- dispirited
- low
- somber
- tearful
- aggrieved
- lugubrious
- morose
- disheartened
- grieving
- cheerless
- sullen
- sunk
- unquiet
- down in the mouth
- dreary
- regretful
- dolorous
- morbid
- desolate
- weeping
- anguished
- lachrymose
- rueful
- dismal
- plaintive
- gray
- saturnine
- dark
- drear
- agonized
- sombre
- funereal
- wailing
- elegiac
- comfortless
- darkening
- black
- murky
- grey
- elegiacal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheerful
- cheery
- jubilant
- joyous
- upbeat
- joyful
- happy
- buoyant
- gleeful
- sunny
- jolly
- jovial
- exuberant
- blissful
- exultant
- glad
- chipper
- merry
- buoyed
- ecstatic
- euphoric
- optimistic
- delighted
- mirthful
- elated
- rapturous
- blithe
- rosy
- exhilarated
- jocular
- enraptured
- overjoyed
- blithesome
- hopeful
- rhapsodic
- excited
- jocose
- jocund
- sanguine
- rhapsodical
- lightsome
- entranced
- gladsome
- gladdened
- perky
- smiling
- thrilled
- energetic
- vivacious
- spirited
- lively
- frisky
- jaunty
- sprightly
- peppy
- vital
- springy
- laughing
- animated
- bouncing
- satisfied
- unconcerned
- encouraged
- grinning
- pleased
- content
- lighthearted
- zippy
- carefree
- gratified
- careless
- insouciant
- easygoing
- heartened
- beaming
- cavalier
- boon
- sprightful
- happy-go-lucky
- devil-may-care
3
as in pouting
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability a chronically glum and pouting child Synonyms & Similar Words
- pouting
- irritable
- sullen
- mopey
- sulky
- pouty
- surly
- brooding
- morose
- dour
- gloomy
- grumpy
- peevish
- grouchy
- petulant
- snappish
- cross
- irascible
- sensitive
- crotchety
- waspish
- down in the mouth
- crabby
- moping
- pettish
- disagreeable
- testy
- dyspeptic
- snarky
- choleric
- cantankerous
- bilious
- ornery
- tetchy
- raspy
- snippy
- cranky
- ratty
- huffy
- snippety
- short-tempered
- perverse
- ill-humored
- bearish
- prickly
- quick-tempered
- ill-tempered
- temperamental
- ill-natured
- touchy
- snappy
- thin-skinned
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cheerful
- cheery
- perky
- sociable
- sunny
- gladsome
- carefree
- easygoing
- relaxed
- good-natured
- good-humored
- good-tempered
- happy-go-lucky
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of glum are crabbed, gloomy, morose, saturnine, sulky, sullen, and surly. While all these words mean "showing a forbidding or disagreeable mood," glum suggests a silent dispiritedness.
a glum candidate left to ponder a stunning defeat
Although the words crabbed and glum have much in common, crabbed applies to a forbidding morose harshness of manner.
the school's notoriously crabbed headmaster
In some situations, the words gloomy and glum are roughly equivalent. However, gloomy implies a depression in mood making for seeming sullenness or glumness.
a gloomy mood ushered in by bad news
Morose adds to glum an element of bitterness or misanthropy.
morose job seekers who are inured to rejection
While the synonyms saturnine and glum are close in meaning, saturnine describes a heavy forbidding aspect or suggests a bitter disposition.
a saturnine cynic always finding fault
The words sulky and glum can be used in similar contexts, but sulky suggests childish resentment expressed in peevish sullenness.
grew sulky after every spat
The meanings of sullen and glum largely overlap; however, sullen implies a silent ill humor and a refusal to be sociable.
remained sullen amid the festivities
The synonyms surly and glum are sometimes interchangeable, but surly implies gruffness and sullenness of speech or manner.
a typical surly teenager
- overmount
- overmountain
- overmounted
- overmounting
- overmounts
- overmuch
- overmuches
- overmuchness
- overmuchnesses
- overmultiplied
- overmultiplies
- overmultiplying
- overmuscled
- overname
- overnet
- overnets
- overnetted
- overnetting
- overnice
- overnicely
- overniceness
- overnight
- overnight bag
- overnight bags
- overnight case