as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance a dour prison guard who didn't look like he'd be very understanding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dour Conversely, a struggling Tatis eventually becomes a dour Tatis. —
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026 After the most joyful and fun performance of several seasons comes the dour Nini. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026 Gummer plays her as dour, stiff and rigid. —Lisa Depaulo, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026 Porsche had a dour 2025, reporting a staggering 93% decline in operating profit. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dour
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026 After the most joyful and fun performance of several seasons comes the dour Nini. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026 Gummer plays her as dour, stiff and rigid. —Lisa Depaulo, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026 Porsche had a dour 2025, reporting a staggering 93% decline in operating profit. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
-
Leslie and her gruff-but-caring, staunch Libertarian boss Ron Swanson (the incomparable Nick Offerman) became symbols of bygone bipartisanship, not to mention endless memes.— Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
-
And Zendaya, as to be expected, really, is fantastic, slipping effortlessly under the skin of the gruff addict in recovery, trying to claw her way out of an increasingly deep hole.— Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The seafarer who spoke to ABC News described a grim scene currently of ships drifting with little direction, and listening on the ship-to-ship communication systems called the VHF line -- accounts of crews growing desperate for basic provisions, and some begging to go home.— Desiree Adib, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, a grim war of attrition continues along the roughly 800-mile front line that snakes along eastern and southern areas of Ukraine.— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, the historic oil crisis triggered by the United States and Israel’s war on Iran is posing the sternest test to date of China’s Promethean effort toward energy self-sufficiency.— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
-
The cast is a murderers row of British actors, and the twisting plot of the novel is full of introspection and doubt, which makes for a tight 127 minutes of shocking revelations told through stern and troubled looks.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Well, that sounds very intimidating.— Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
-
In a category dominated by Plan B, its strategy made emergency contraception more approachable and less intimidating.— Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ganesh’s exit from the show was announced earlier this month, sparking a fierce wave of pushback from fans of the HBO show.— Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 17 Apr. 2026
-
That sum would amount to more than 10 times what President Obama released to Iran under a 2015 nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, that was the subject of fierce Republican criticism in the decade since.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
High Hopes The Cybertruck debuted with great fanfare in late 2023, diversifying Tesla’s lineup as a rugged bruiser of a vehicle to counter the sleek Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan that account for the vast majority of the company’s auto sales.— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
-
At night, the open-air cinema screens films against the imposing backdrop of the rugged Thripti mountain range.— Yulia Denisyuk, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s partly because their bleak ending feels like a foregone conclusion from the start, even as Levinson’s frequently funny script crackles with comic depravity.— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
-
While the subject matter is bleak, Almodóvar balances the darkness with a tenderness and sensitivity that comes from a career of exploring women's lives at their most intimate.— Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On Tuesday a civil jury concluded that Lodes resigned involuntarily due to his reporting of a hostile workplace and was awarded the multimillion-dollar payment as compensation for his emotional damages.— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit claims Mavromatis experienced retaliatory consequences for raising concerns about the harassment and hostile work environment.— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
