broody
Americanadjective
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moody; gloomy.
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inclined to sit on eggs.
a broody hen.
adjective
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moody; meditative; introspective
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(of poultry) wishing to sit on or hatch eggs
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informal (of a woman) wishing to have a baby of her own
Usage
What does broody mean? Broody is an adjective that means moody or gloomy, as in When I’m feeling broody, I paint dark pictures to match my mood. Broody is a neutral word. It describes a person’s emotions or personality. Sometimes, a fictional character who is broody is actually considered attractive or interesting. For example, Batman is a famously broody superhero, and many fans love him for it. Broody also describes an urge to sit on eggs, as in Our favorite hen is broody, sitting on her eggs all day long. Example: Whenever Jordan is feeling broody, he listens to sad music to help express how he feels.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of broody
Vocabulary lists containing broody
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.
See Examples For:
The camera takes time to adore the young protagonists, to admire their excellent surfaces, to look them straight in their moody, broody, serious eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
"I'm so broody," the 29-year-old tells the BBC Access All podcast.
From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2025
Stewart’s non-gender-conforming streak started to surface in her portrayal of broody heroine Bella Swan in the “Twilight” saga, which the actor said in a January interview with Variety had a “very Gothic, gay inclination.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
Both are about female scientists who fall for, well, broody, emotionless science men.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2022
“Whatever, Ms. Gifted-in-Everything. I’m going to check it out. Are you coming with, or are you going back to cower with the rest of the broody hens?”
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Based on the books of Ann Cleeves, whose work is also the basis for the even moodier, broodier series “Shetland,” “Vera” is a cerebral, as opposed to violent or troubling, crime drama.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2025
But even so, some of the broodier sections failed to connect with a festival audience who just wanted to hear the hits.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2023
When asked if "The Batman" will be a "darker, broodier" entry, Serkis said, "I would say that's not far from the truth."
From Salon ● May 10, 2020
“Treme,” created by the same team that made “The Wire,” is broodier than “Memphis Beat” and far more ambitious, but it is also a lot less focused and digestible.
From New York Times ● Jun. 21, 2010
Strings, central to the album’s arrangements, swell sweetly, but the song’s dominant motif is a muted, desultory piano figure that suggests Cat Power at her broodiest.
From Slate ● Jan. 30, 2012
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.
