sullenly
Americanadverb
-
in a way that shows irritation, ill humor, or gloom; morosely.
In the next room, an embittered, lonely man sits sullenly.
-
with a gloomy or dismal sound.
The door thudded sullenly behind her.
The waves roared sullenly against the base of the cliff.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of sullenly
Explanation
Someone who acts sullenly seems gloomy, dissatisfied — not happy to be there. If you act sullenly at your grandparents' anniversary party, you can expect to be taken aside and told, "Cheer up. Now." The picture of someone acting sullenly? It's a person slumped in a chair, arms crossed, sighing a lot. The adverb sullenly is used to describe something that's done glumly, or in a very bad-tempered way. Anyone who is in the mood to complain will speak or respond sullenly, like a little kid who's been dragged along on a car trip and speaks up sullenly from time to time to ask, "Are we there yet?"
Vocabulary lists containing sullenly
The Outsiders
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Touching Spirit Bear
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The Jungle Book
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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.
They regard each other sullenly, like children forced into introductions by their parents.
From Slate • Nov. 13, 2023
You are likely not the sort of person who enjoys storming off from the dinner table, or crying in your childhood bedroom, or sullenly texting a friend while you furtively drink in the bathroom.
From Salon • Nov. 24, 2022
In his bathroom brooding raptors hooded like hangmen shifted sullenly upon their perches.
From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2022
Everyone knew that the fifth-round pick had bounce, but as he sat sullenly after the play, the question was: Could he bounce back?
From Seattle Times • Aug. 17, 2022
“It’s not my business to save lives,” Doc Daneeka retorted sullenly.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
