dour

14 7.6

Serious and unfriendly in a way that looks gloomy

adjective
/dʊr/

: adusto

Despite the festive atmosphere, her dour attitude dampened the mood of the party.

I'm sure all of you have seen the bust of Cicero where he's, you know, got kind of wispy hair, kind of a dour face.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Then he drew his hand across his face, pretending to push aside his dour expression, replacing it with a boyish smile.

Fiction book (2001)
But, returning to reality, even the dour Murphy cracks a small smile.

Academic text (1997)
Could that be the silent, dour George?

A Room with a View (1986)
A bit dour, maybe, but not scary.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (2007)
He seems a dour sort.

The Secret Garden (2017)
The comtesse is looking rather dour this evening, don't you think?

Marie Antoinette (2006)
His companion was short and lean, clean-shaven, and possessed a dour expression.

Fiction book (1992)
Suddenly, Bonita rushes up, muttering something that brings smiles to the dour Canadians.

Fiction book (2000)
Ealad-hach paused in his pacing and favored his brother with a dour stare.

Fiction book (1992)
He always has a dour expression, rarely smiling at anyone he meets.

Synonyms

serious

vsdour

∞ 1.4

Calm and focused, not playful or joking

adds gloom and a cold, unbending manner

dark

vsdour

430 1.0

Feeling gloomy and sad

is similarly brooding but also colder and more stern

sour

vsdour

80 3.7

Showing an unfriendly, resentful mood

is gloomier and more stern than merely resentful

somber

vsdour

49 4.6

Serious and sad in feeling or mood

is equally serious but also unfriendly and unyielding in manner

grim

vsdour

28 4.2

Serious and unfriendly so people feel afraid to approach

is equally unfriendly but also strict and unyielding

sullen

vsdour

26 4.7

Being quiet and bad-tempered, showing that a person is upset

is similarly gloomy but more stern and outwardly unfriendly

glum

vsdour

22 4.1

Looking or feeling sad and quiet

is more stern and unfriendly rather than merely sad

morose

vsdour

14 7.9

Being quiet and unhappy and showing little interest in others

is equally gloomy but also more stern and forbidding

unyielding

vsdour

13 6.5

Very firm in decisions and not willing to change or give up

shares firm resolve but also presents a gloomy, unfriendly manner

forbidding

vsdour

9 6.6

Looking unfriendly or dangerous so people do not want to go near

is similarly cold but less about danger and more stern

stony

vsdour

7 6.5

Showing no feeling or sympathy

keeps that coldness but adds a stern, unbending attitude

glowering

vsdour

2 7.4

A dark, angry look that seems threatening

is gloomier and more stern rather than openly angry

saturnine

vsdour

Formal

1 9.9

Having a serious, quiet mood that shows sadness or anger

shares gloominess but is firmer and less purely temperamental

Antonyms

friendly

763 1.0

Kind and helpful toward other people

cheerful

99 1.0

Happy in a way you show with a smile or friendly actions

How Stern

unyielding

13 6.5

stern

64 4.3

dour

14 7.6

serious

∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

dour positive

dourer comparative

dourest superlative

Etymology

Dour comes from an old root durus, which means 'hard' and is the same root as durable and endure. So calling someone dour is like saying their face or manner is 'hard'—serious, stern, or gloomy.