Crossword Dictionary
SULLEN
sullen, dour, dorty, morose, sullener, sullenly, sullenest, solein - a
showing a brooding ill humor or resentment
Synoynms
churlish, dour, gloomy, glum, grumpy, hostile, morose, petulant, somber, surly, ugly, bad-tempered
Examples
Betsy remained sullen through the week until Thursday night when I came home to find her in tears.
The state of sullen dislike which followed was after a while succeeded by more active evidences of hostility.
Heraclius made no attempt to retrieve the misfortunes of his generals, but evacuated his possessions in sullen despair.
Etymology
1570s, alteration of Middle English soleyn "unique, singular," from Anglo-French *solein, formed on the pattern of Old French solain "lonely," from soul "single," from Latin solus "by oneself, alone" (see sole (adj.)). The sense shift in Middle English from "solitary" to "morose" (i.e. "remaining alone through ill-humor") occurred late 14c. Related: Sullenly; sullenness.