sulk
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
-
a state or fit of sulking.
-
sulks, ill-humor shown by sulking.
to be in the sulks.
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Also sulker. a person who sulks.
verb
noun
-
(often plural) a state or mood of feeling resentful or sullen
he's in a sulk because he lost the game
he's got the sulks
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Also: sulker. a person who sulks
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sulksimple
-
sulkssimple
-
have sulkedperfect
-
has sulkedperfect
-
am sulkingprogressive
-
are sulkingprogressive
-
is sulkingprogressive
-
have been sulkingperfect progressive
-
has been sulkingperfect progressive
Past
-
sulkedsimple
-
had sulkedperfect
-
was sulkingprogressive
-
were sulkingprogressive
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had been sulkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sulk
First recorded in 1775–85; back formation from sulky
Explanation
When you are displeased by something and you let your gloomy mood show, you're sulking. Do you want to bake another cake, or are you going to sulk all day about the one you dropped? When you say someone sulks, the tone of the word suggests the person is overdoing it. You wouldn't accuse a widow of sulking at her husband's funeral, because she has a good reason to be sad and gloomy. Instead of sulking because you messed up your tuba solo during the concert, why not put your energy into practice? Or switch to violin.
Vocabulary lists containing sulk
Where the Red Fern Grows
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My Brother Sam is Dead
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Out of the Dust
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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.
And maybe - maybe - he did sulk, but if he did it was only for a little while.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Kane said Bayern had "no time to sulk" and "would not let the defeat define our season".
From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026
Nine months later, after the New Year's Eve party where Joel messes up again by trying to defend Ellie, he excuses himself to sulk with Ellie’s guitar on his porch.
From Salon • May 19, 2025
The youngsters sulk, stomp and scamper, pull pranks and horse around.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2024
Because I was sad, and Emma had hurt my pride, and I needed to sulk.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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.
