sullenness

S1U1L1L1E1N1N1E1S1S1

noun

The state or quality of being sullen.

Similar
surlinessmorosenessglumnesssulkinesssourness
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Meanings

nounsullenness (countable and uncountable, plural sullennesses)

plural sullennesses

  1. uncountableThe state or quality of being sullen.

    The detectives were still wrapped in sullenness, remembering the grieving woman and a lead that had led nowhere.

    1970, Wally Ferris, Across 110th, page 176
    2 more examples

    “Marry come up—are you there with your bears?” muttered the dragon, with a draconic sullenness, which was in good keeping with his character, “we had as good have been Romans still, if we are to have no freedom in our pastimes!”

    1820, [Walter Scott], chapter XV, in The Abbot. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 323

    ’Twas sunset: when the sun will part There comes a sullenness of heart To him who still would look upon The glory of the summer sun.

    1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems

    Synonyms: surliness

  2. countablerareThe result or product of being sullen.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe state or quality of being sullen.

Similar
surliness

More synonyms by meaning

nouna gloomy ill-tempered feeling

Similar
morosenessglumness
Broader
moodiness

nouna sullen moody resentful disposition

Similar
sulkinessmorosenesssourness
Broader
ill nature
Also see
glumnessmorosenesssournesssulkiness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From sullen + -ness.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek σκυθρωπότης, βαρυθυμία
  • σκυθρωπότης (skuthrōpótēs)state or quality of being sullen
  • βαρυθυμία (baruthumía)state or quality of being sullen
Finnish jurous, nyreys
  • jurousstate or quality of being sullen
  • nyreysstate or quality of being sullen
  • ynseysstate or quality of being sullen
  • yrmeysstate or quality of being sullen
German Verdrossenheit, Verdruss
  • Verdrossenheitstate or quality of being sullen
  • Verdrussstate or quality of being sullen
  • Überdrussstate or quality of being sullen
Māori mūmū
  • mūmūstate or quality of being sullen
Romanian ursuzenie
  • ursuzeniestate or quality of being sullen
Spanish hosquedad, murria
  • hosquedadstate or quality of being sullen
  • murriastate or quality of being sullen
  • hastíostate or quality of being sullen
Turkish küskünlük
  • küskünlükstate or quality of being sullen
Cite this entry
APA

sullenness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sullenness

MLA

“sullenness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sullenness. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sullenness,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sullenness.

Source: sullenness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.