adjective
Related Words
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.
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
And the album’s closer, the pretty but slow “Silent Eyes,” feels like another morose nail in the coffin of a relationship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025
For starters, some chronic oversavers can be anxious and morose.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 24, 2025
As Tuesday’s deliberations concluded, Combs was seen praying in the courtroom and looking morose, according to the Associated Press.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025
Sometimes Jerry Grindstaff muddled ponderously through a game, but most players considered him too morose to begin with, and they grew gloomier as he grew gloomier as his losings inevitably multiplied.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
