Gloomy

ˈɡluːmi

adjectiveBeginner📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

Feeling or causing sadness or despondency; dark or poorly lit.

ˈɡluːmi

adjectivenegativeBeginner
General

Feeling or causing sadness or despondency.

The gloomy forecast predicted rain for the entire week.

💡 Simply: Think about a day when it's raining and everything feels a little sad. It's like that feeling, but you can also use it to describe a poorly lit room or a sad situation.

👶 For kids: When you feel sad or when a place is dark and not fun.

More Examples

2

The abandoned house had a gloomy atmosphere.

3

She felt gloomy after receiving the bad news.

How It's Used

General

"The gloomy weather made everyone feel down."

Literary

"The hero stared at the gloomy landscape."

Psychology

"A person experiencing depression may have a gloomy outlook on life."

2

Dark or poorly lit; dim.

ˈɡluːmi

adjectiveneutralBeginner
General

Dark or poorly lit.

The old castle had gloomy corridors.

💡 Simply: If a room or a place is not bright because there isn’t enough light, it's gloomy.

👶 For kids: When it's dark and not much light.

More Examples

2

The room was gloomy due to the heavy curtains.

3

The gloomy weather made it difficult to see.

How It's Used

Architecture

"The cathedral's gloomy interior added to its solemnity."

Environment

"The forest was gloomy, with thick trees blocking the sunlight."

Tip:Relate this to physical environment. A room with little light is gloomy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

From Middle English 'glomi', meaning 'glowering' or 'sullen', probably related to the word 'gloom'.

Historically, 'gloomy' has been used to describe both emotional states and the physical environment, as seen in literature and everyday conversation.

Memory tip

Imagine a dark, overcast day. The 'gloomy' feeling matches that weather – sad and lacking light.

Word Origin

LanguageMiddle English
Original meaning

"Sullen, glowering"

gloomy weathergloomy atmospheregloomy outlookgloomy moodgloomy thoughts

Common misspellings

glumyglomygloumy

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written