dour
adjective
sullen; gloomy.
dourly
-
a word derived from
dour.
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.
After a four-day conflict between India and Pakistan last year, Islamabad publicly hailed Mr. Trump’s role in ending the conflict—a role India dourly denied—and nominated the U.S. president for a Nobel Peace Prize.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
He disapproved of this new addition to his Sunday paper, and dourly warned his coarse and rumpled underling: “I will not permit you to make your contest a repository of bathroom humor.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2022
Elves were never a personal favorite, mostly because they're so dourly intense.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2022
“They’re all very timeless,” she said, adding a bit dourly.
From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2018
Poppy said dourly, “Is this an appropriate gift for a young man to give a young woman?”
From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye
