Glum
adjective
Looking or feeling unhappy.
She was feeling rather glum about her exam results.
Often appears as...
- feel glum
- look glum
adjective
Pessimistic or negative, often without clear reason.
The investors grew glum after noticing the decreasing profits.
Often appears as...
- grow glum
- appear glum
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Looking or feeling unhappy.
She was feeling rather glum about her exam results.
Often appears as...
- feel glum
- look glum
adjective
Pessimistic or negative, often without clear reason.
The investors grew glum after noticing the decreasing profits.
Often appears as...
- grow glum
- appear glum
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Glum suggests a mild, quiet sort of sadness without causing a big fuss.
Despite the party atmosphere, he sat in the corner with a glum expression.
Pro Tip 2/3Non-Verbal Cues
'Glum' often implies a sad facial expression or body language.
Her glum face made it obvious she didn't enjoy the movie.
Pro Tip 3/3Brief Sadness
Glum can be used for temporary feelings, not necessarily deep or chronic sadness.
He felt glum after losing the game, but he cheered up later.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Glum suggests a mild, quiet sort of sadness without causing a big fuss.
Despite the party atmosphere, he sat in the corner with a glum expression.
Pro Tip 2/3Non-Verbal Cues
'Glum' often implies a sad facial expression or body language.
Her glum face made it obvious she didn't enjoy the movie.
Pro Tip 3/3Brief Sadness
Glum can be used for temporary feelings, not necessarily deep or chronic sadness.
He felt glum after losing the game, but he cheered up later.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Glum suggests a mild, quiet sort of sadness without causing a big fuss.
Despite the party atmosphere, he sat in the corner with a glum expression.
Pro Tip 2/3Non-Verbal Cues
'Glum' often implies a sad facial expression or body language.
Her glum face made it obvious she didn't enjoy the movie.
Pro Tip 3/3Brief Sadness
Glum can be used for temporary feelings, not necessarily deep or chronic sadness.
He felt glum after losing the game, but he cheered up later.
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Video examples
Is the world getting...
and the world's broadcasts too have gotten steadily glummer. Why don't people appreciate progress? Part of the answer comes from our cognitive psychology. We estimate risk using a mental shortcut called the "availability heuristic."
Video examples
Is the world getting...
and the world's broadcasts too have gotten steadily glummer. Why don't people appreciate progress? Part of the answer comes from our cognitive psychology. We estimate risk using a mental shortcut called the "availability heuristic."
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Paul Johnson
British Journalist
Germany's Angela Merkel exudes an atmosphere of elderly exhaustion and pooped-out pessimism. Britain's David Cameron, though by nature exuberant, feels he has to look and sound glum. And France's leader, Francois Hollande, seems determined to drive every successful businessman out of the country.
Quote examples
Carolyn See
American Author
The Talk-Funny Girl' opens with a glum picture of a desperately poor rural New England family. Poverty has so brutalized the family that the ordinary laws and rules governing humanity have eroded, turning systems of behavior upside down.
Quote examples
James Wolcott
American Critic
After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty of dance, and the magic of 'spirit fingers' to chase our cares and woes into somebody else's backyard.
Quote examples
Ben Dolnick
American Writer
Writing is a sufficiently lonely and mysterious pastime that I don't begrudge myself a talisman or two, so long as they don't become ways of distracting myself from the glum inescapability of actual work.
Quote examples
Tina Brown
American Editor
Obama fans become more and more glum that he keeps flubbing the very role he was expected to be so good at: Therapist to the nation. The Great Comforter.
Quote examples
Lionel Shriver
American Journalist
A manuscript under way always gave me something to do; only while enduring the aimlessness between books was I truly glum.
Quote examples
Colson Whitehead
American Novelist
Generally, I walk around in a glum mood.
Quote examples
Paul Johnson
British Journalist
Germany's Angela Merkel exudes an atmosphere of elderly exhaustion and pooped-out pessimism. Britain's David Cameron, though by nature exuberant, feels he has to look and sound glum. And France's leader, Francois Hollande, seems determined to drive every successful businessman out of the country.
Quote examples
Carolyn See
American Author
The Talk-Funny Girl' opens with a glum picture of a desperately poor rural New England family. Poverty has so brutalized the family that the ordinary laws and rules governing humanity have eroded, turning systems of behavior upside down.
Quote examples
James Wolcott
American Critic
After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty of dance, and the magic of 'spirit fingers' to chase our cares and woes into somebody else's backyard.
Quote examples
Ben Dolnick
American Writer
Writing is a sufficiently lonely and mysterious pastime that I don't begrudge myself a talisman or two, so long as they don't become ways of distracting myself from the glum inescapability of actual work.
Quote examples
Tina Brown
American Editor
Obama fans become more and more glum that he keeps flubbing the very role he was expected to be so good at: Therapist to the nation. The Great Comforter.
Quote examples
Lionel Shriver
American Journalist
A manuscript under way always gave me something to do; only while enduring the aimlessness between books was I truly glum.
Quote examples
Colson Whitehead
American Novelist
Generally, I walk around in a glum mood.
Example 1 of 7
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