gloom
n. uncountablen. a state of partial or total darkness that makes it hard to see. It also describes a feeling of sadness or a lack of hope about the future.
n. a state of partial or total darkness; also refers to a state of depression or despondency. Often used to describe atmospheric conditions or a collective psychological mood.
The thick fog added to the gloom of the evening.
Despite the economic gloom, the small tech startup managed to secure a second round of funding.
The protagonist wandered through the twilight gloom of the ancient forest, where the dense canopy blocked any hope of moonlight reaching the mossy floor.
From Middle English gloom, glom, from Old English glōm (“gloaming, twilight, darkness”), from Proto-West Germanic glōm, from Proto-Germanic glōmaz (“gleam, shimmer, sheen”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley- (“to gleam, shimmer, glow”). The English word is cognate with Norwegian glom (“transparent membrane”), Scots gloam (“twilight; faint light; dull gleam”).
Often paired with 'of' to describe a specific source of darkness or sadness ('the gloom of the cellar', 'the gloom of the recession').