Brooding
Sullen
Sullen adjective - Given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability.
Usage example: sullen and bored at his in-laws' house, he couldn't wait for the holidays to end
Nearby Word: sullenly
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both words in one sentence
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In the Degrassi episode "Take On Me" Sean, who is normally sullen, brooding bad boy, begins to act a lot crazier.
Source: Out-of-Character Moment - He returns from exile a brooding, sullen man, though depending on the version he remains friendly and talented enough to ensure a stream of satisfied customers and victims.
Source: The Barber -
Ryan Atwood from The O.C.. Ryan is a sullen, melancholic, intelligent, brooding outcast yet is sympathetic and compassionate to those less fortunate than him and manages to attract some female characters.
Source: Byronic Hero
Cite this Source
Sullen and Brooding. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/brooding/sullen
Brooding & Sullen. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/brooding/sullen>.
Sullen or Brooding. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/brooding/sullen.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "brooding" and "sullen" have occurred on timeline