brooding
10 synonyms for brooding, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Deeply, often gloomily thoughtful.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adj
Deeply, often gloomily thoughtful.
“You like T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land"? You must be so brooding and deep.”
2. noun
A period of dwelling moodily on one's thoughts.
“After weeks of brooding, she finally decided to quit her job.”
How to use brooding
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
brooding silence
brooding stare
dark and brooding
Etymology
From the verb "brood," in its sense of dwelling silently and unhappily on one's thoughts.
Full origin of brooding →Frequently asked questions
What does “brooding” mean?
The word “brooding” means deeply, often gloomily thoughtful. In plain terms, sunk deep in gloomy or serious thought; a moody, withdrawn state of mind.
How do you pronounce “brooding”?
“Brooding” is pronounced BROO-dihng (/ˈbɹuːdɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “brooding” in a sentence?
Here is “brooding” used in a sentence: “He had a brooding look on his face after the meeting.”
What part of speech is “brooding”?
Depending on how it is used, “brooding” can be an adjective and a noun.
How many meanings does “brooding” have?
“Brooding” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: deeply, often gloomily thoughtful.
