# brooding

/ˈbɹudɪŋ/ (US) · /bɹˈuːdɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brooding
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

showing that you are thinking deeply about something in a sad, serious, or worried way. It often describes a person who looks dark and mysterious.

For teachers: characterised by deep, often morbid or resentful, preoccupation with a particular subject. Frequently used to describe a person's facial expression or the dark, atmospheric quality of a landscape.

## Examples

- He sat in the corner with a brooding look on his face.
- The film's brooding atmosphere is created by the constant rain and the dark, narrow streets of the city.
- The protagonist is a brooding figure who spends much of the novel reflecting on his past failures while wandering the desolate moors.

## Usage notes

- Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'look' or 'seem', or attributively to modify nouns like 'silence', 'atmosphere', or 'look'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.