# gloom

/ˈɡɫum/ (US) · /ɡlˈuːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gloom
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. partial darkness

noun · CEFR B2

a state of being almost dark, where it is difficult to see clearly.

For teachers: a state of partial or total darkness; dimness that obscures vision.

- We could just make out the shape of a house through the evening gloom.
- The hikers struggled to find the trail as the forest gloom deepened under the thick canopy of ancient pines.

### 2. sadness or hopelessness

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of being very sad and without hope.

For teachers: a state of depression, despondency, or a melancholic atmosphere.

- Despite the bad news, she tried not to let the gloom affect her work.
- A sense of economic gloom settled over the town after the main factory announced its permanent closure.

### 4. to make dark or sad

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to make a place dark or to make someone feel sad.

For teachers: to obscure or darken a physical space, or to render a situation or person dismal. Used transitively, taking a direct object.

- The sudden storm clouds arrived to gloom the afternoon sky.
- The tragic events of the previous winter continued to gloom his thoughts long after the spring thaw had begun.

## Examples

- 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.

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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.