dour
Americanadjective
-
sullen
-
hard or obstinate
Synonym Usage
See glum.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dour
1325–75; Middle English, from Latin dūrus dure 1
Explanation
Dour describes something sullen, gloomy, or persistent. You might look dour on your way to picking up your last check from the job you just got fired from, and people should get out of your way. Dour and endure most likely come from the Latin word durus which means "hard." If something is hard to endure for a long enough time, it can make even the most happy-go-lucky person dour. Dour sounds like sour (or closer to "do-er"). It's a tomato/tamahto word, but either way — if you're in a sour mood, you have no sense of humor, and you're dour.
Vocabulary lists containing dour
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
More Negative Words to Describe a Person
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And yet, the film fails to utilize either to its advantage, wasting great talent and a halfway-decent premise on mind-numbing dialogue, repetitive plotting and dour lighting.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
That has made the business of exercise one of the few bright spots in China’s generally dour consumer economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Legally Blonde was "fun, fresh and brilliantly paced", she writes, but Elle is "dour, boring and tedious" despite its solid supporting cast, which includes James Van Der Beek in one of his final acting roles.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
McVay had spent the previous availability explaining the reason for his somber and dour countenance during an awkward news conference the night before.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
Not every result of the Chicago cheating analysis was so dour.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
