Words / B2

GLOOM/ɡluːm/

Gloom is near darkness, or a feeling of sadness and little hope (usually uncountable): in the gloom; economic gloom. Darkness is physical; despair is stronger misery. Post-war gloom in the source still needs a named shortage. Mix-up: groom; bloom (a backup headword elsewhere). Do not write “a gloom” as a countable party mood.

Meaning

Near darkness, or a feeling of sadness and little hope (usually uncountable).

Examples

• “Post-war gloom in the source still needs a named shortage, not a mood caption.”
• “They waited in the gloom of the underpass, which is the near-darkness sense.”

Good to know

in the gloom; economic / public gloom; gloomy. Physical twin: darkness. Stronger: despair. Trap: groom. History, news, and literature. Darkness, or a sad hopeless mood — specify.

Near in meaning

darkness, despair, melancholy

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