morose

[ muh-rohs ]

adjective

1. gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood.

   Synonyms: surly, sulky, sour, moody

   Antonyms: cheerful

2. characterized by or expressing gloom.

morose

/ məˈrəʊs /

adjective

1. ill-tempered or gloomy

Derived Forms

• moˈroseness, noun
• moˈrosely, adverb

Other Words From

• mo·rose·ly adverb
• mo·rose·ness mo·ros·i·ty [m, uh, -, ros, -i-tee], noun
• su·per·mo·rose adjective
• su·per·mo·rose·ness noun
• un·mo·rose adjective
• un·mo·rose·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of morose¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin mōrōsus “fretful, peevish, willful,” equivalent to mōr- (stem of mōs ) “will, inclination” + -ōsus adjective suffix ( -ose ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of morose¹

C16: from Latin mōrōsus peevish, capricious, from mōs custom, will, caprice

Synonym Study

See glum.

Example Sentences

He can seem on occasion morose, on other occasions petulant, and never comfortable in interviews.

From The Daily Beast

Test audiences found the original ending too morose and wanted to see Alex get blown away.

From The Daily Beast

I found the morose philosophers (Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Spengler) the most interesting.

From The Daily Beast

He carried with him the insecurities, foibles, and morose visions of fin de siècle Europe.

From The Daily Beast

Lee McQueen could see beauty in the morose and even the morbid.

From The Daily Beast

How many in Melbourne injure wealth and brain, I leave to more skilled and morose critics.

From Project Gutenberg

There are few greater annoyances of life than an irritable woman, rendered doubly morose by the infirmities of years.

From Project Gutenberg

He went upstairs to his room in this morose state and, procuring a revolver, after a short time came down and shot at his sister.

From Project Gutenberg

I paced the deck for hours, and grew morose and nervous, chafing under the slowness of the stout craft.

From Project Gutenberg

Shiel half turned away, not sullen, not morose, but with a strange apathy settled on him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cranky
• dour
• gloomy
• glum
• grouchy
• melancholy
• mournful
• sad
• sullen
• surly
• testy
• ugly