What does sulky mean?
Sulky describes a person, mood, or manner marked by bad temper and an unwillingness to be cheerful, friendly, or cooperative. The word often evokes a child who withdraws after becoming upset and answers questions only with silence or curt replies. It usually implies sulkiness rather than deep anger, so it can sound more teasing than truly hostile, though context determines the degree of disapproval. Sulkiness can also describe a broader mood, as in “a room filled with sulky silence.” In a separate and chiefly North American sense, a sulky is a light, two-wheeled carriage used in racing. The adjective comes from the older verb sulk, and the word’s familiar use in descriptions of children long predates the mechanical vehicle.
Bad-tempered and unwilling to be cheerful, friendly, or cooperative.
"The sulky teenager sat apart from the rest of the group."
Often used of children and young people; typically suggests sulkiness rather than intense anger.
A light, two-wheeled carriage used chiefly for harness racing.
"The driver guided the sulky around the track."
Chiefly North American; this sense is uncommon in British English.
Used only for the noun meaning a light racing carriage.
"Several sulkies entered the race."
A sulky child may say nothing at all, but that silence is often a very clear form of protest.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sulky come from?
The adjective sulky appeared in the early 17th century, formed from the verb sulk with the adjective suffix -y. The verb and adjective belong to the same word family, which also includes archaic sulken and the derived noun sulkiness. The deeper origin of sulk is uncertain, so it should not confidently be connected to any particular earlier language or confidently reconstructed root.
Related word forms
How sulky is actually used
Sulky is common in everyday British and American English and is often used for children or young people in a way that sounds mildly critical but not severe. The older adjective sulken has a more literary, openly hostile tone. The noun meaning a racing carriage is chiefly North American.
Easily confused with sulky
Sulky is an adjective describing a person, mood, or manner, while sulk is chiefly a verb meaning to behave in a resentful or uncooperative way.
Sullen suggests a dark, brooding hostility, whereas sulky more commonly describes a temporary, stubborn unwillingness to be cheerful or sociable.