What does sullenness mean?
Sullenness is the noun for the condition of being sullen: noticeably gloomy, dour, or ill-tempered. Unlike a brief feeling of sadness, sullenness suggests a mood that persists and shapes a person's silence, behavior, or reluctance to engage with others. It may appear in descriptions of personal temperament, social interactions, and literary settings, as in a character's sullenness or a place's oppressive gloom. The word is formal and somewhat literary, so it is more common in careful prose than in casual conversation. Its usefulness lies in distinguishing a sustained, resistant kind of displeasure from ordinary low spirits, although the related adjective sullen is often more convenient for describing a particular person, expression, or atmosphere.
nounThe state or quality of being sullen, especially as a persistent mood characterized by bad temper, silence, or dourness.
- The state or quality of being sullen, especially as a persistent mood characterized by bad temper, silence, or dourness.
"A cloud of sullenness settled over the room after the argument."
"His sullenness made even ordinary conversation seem difficult."
"The novel captures the sullenness of a household where no one speaks about the past."
The plural is possible but rare, since the word is usually used as an uncountable noun referring to a state or quality.
"The play explores the different sullennesses produced by grief, shame, and resentment."
Sullenness captures more than mere unhappiness: it suggests a brooding, resistant mood that can silence both conversation and cooperation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sullenness come from?
The word is a transparent English formation from the adjective sullen plus the suffix -ness, meaning “the state or quality of being sullen.” Sullen itself is recorded in Middle English and belongs to a word family associated with being sulky, gloomy, or out of temper. The modern noun preserves the older adjective's sense of dourness and bad humor.
How sullenness is actually used
Sullenness is formal and relatively uncommon in everyday speech. It is stronger and more sustained than ordinary sadness, and it often implies bad temper, withdrawal, or a refusal to engage.
Easily confused with sullenness
Sullen is the adjective describing a person or mood that is gloomy or ill-tempered, whereas sullenness is the noun naming that state or quality.