gloom

Meanings

1. 1noununcountableliterary

   Partial darkness, where it is hard to see well.

   Grammar: Used without 'a': the gloom of the forest.

   Patterns

   • in the gloom
   • the gloom of something

   She stumbled through the gloom of the cellar.

   The lamp barely lit the gloom of the corridor.

   Shapes moved in the evening gloom.

2. 2noununcountable

   A feeling of sadness, hopelessness, or despair.

   Grammar: Used without 'a' and often with a cloud-like image: a sense of gloom.

   Patterns

   • a sense of gloom
   • gloom about something

   A mood of gloom settled over the office after the layoffs.

   There is little gloom in her cheerful letters.

   Economic gloom left shoppers cautious.

Common combinations

deepening gloom

The deepening gloom made driving hard.

economic gloom

Economic gloom spread across the region.

gloom and doom

The forecast was all gloom and doom.

cast a gloom

The news cast a gloom over the party.

sink into gloom

He sank into gloom after the defeat.

in the gloom

She waited in the gloom.

Synonyms and how they differ

darkness

Darkness is plain and can be total, while gloom means dim, shadowy light, often unpleasant.

sadness

Sadness is simple and personal, while gloom suggests a heavy mood that spreads over a group or place.

despair

Despair means giving up hope, which is stronger than gloom.

dimness

Dimness is neutral and only about low light, whereas gloom adds a sad or heavy feeling.

Opposites

Word family

gloomy adjective

dark or depressing

gloomily adverb

in a sad or hopeless way

gloominess noun

the state of being dark or sad

Commonly confused: gloom or doom?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “gloom”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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