adjective
Synonym Usage
See glum.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of morose
First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin mōrōsus “fretful, peevish, willful,” equivalent to mōr- (stem of mōs ) “will, inclination” + -ōsus adjective suffix ( see -ose 1)
Explanation
A morose person is sullen, gloomy, sad, glum, and depressed — not a happy camper. When someone is morose, they seem to have a cloud of sadness hanging over them. This word is stronger than just sad — morose implies being extremely gloomy and depressed. We all can be morose at times, like after the death of a friend or family member. Whether you're morose due to an event or just because you're feeling blue, you should try skipping or whistling a little tune to perk things up.
Vocabulary lists containing morose
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Animal Farm
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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.
Critics think there’s more to the story than Americans feeling particularly morose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
I did not want to make something that was morose or a melodrama.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026
A morose horse, rice cakes, and a Harry Potter villain have become surprise hits in China ahead of the country's Lunar New Year holiday.
From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026
For starters, some chronic oversavers can be anxious and morose.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2025
I tried, persistently but in vain, to reach out for his love and understanding, and each time he reciprocated by becoming more distant and inscrutable, more morose and frightening to me.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
