brooding

/ˈbruːdɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · [brˈudɪŋ] /ˈbruːdɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · [brˈudɪŋ] /ˈbrü-diŋ How to pronounce brooding (audio)/ (ame, mw)

brooding — adjective

  • broodingpositive
  • more broodingcomparative
  • most broodingsuperlative

1. quietly sad, worried, or angry because you keep returning to the same trouble in

1.形容詞C1
釋義

quietly sad, worried, or angry because you keep returning to the same trouble in your mind.

例句

Nadia sat by the window, brooding over the message from home.

pattern: brooding over + noun

Even during lunch, Christopher stayed brooding about the missed penalty kick.

同義詞
  • moody

    broader and less focused on one particular worry

  • pensive

    can be quiet and thoughtful without the dark emotional weight

  • sullen

    shows silent bad temper more than inward thinking

  • troubled

    states the worry clearly, but does not imply repeated inward thinking

反義詞

文法句型

be brooding over + noun

look brooding

sit brooding

用法筆記

Often followed by 'over' when someone keeps turning a hurt, mistake, or worry around in the mind. It suggests dark inward thought, not calm reflection.

常見錯誤

❌Daria looked brooding while she worked out the math answer.
✅Daria looked thoughtful while she worked out the math answer.
💡'brooding' adds dark or unhappy feeling, not calm concentration.
❌The children were brooding because the game was hard.
✅The children were frustrated because the game was hard.
💡'brooding' usually suggests silent, lingering thought, not quick annoyance.

2. dark, heavy, and slightly threatening in the way it looks or feels, as if troubl

2.形容詞C2
釋義

dark, heavy, and slightly threatening in the way it looks or feels, as if trouble is near.

例句

A brooding sky hung above the beach before the first drops fell.

common collocation: brooding sky

The old house looked brooding with one upstairs lamp still on.

pattern: place + looked brooding

同義詞
  • ominous

    more directly suggests that something bad may happen

  • gloomy

    more everyday and less strongly threatening

  • shadowy

    focuses on dark appearance, not the emotional pressure

反義詞
  • bright

    full of light instead of heavy darkness

  • sunny

    especially of weather or atmosphere

  • reassuring

    making people feel safe rather than uneasy

文法句型

a brooding sky

look brooding

brooding music

用法筆記

Most often used for weather, music, buildings, or scenes that seem full of pressure or danger. It is stronger than simply saying something is dark.

常見錯誤

❌The room was brooding because the curtains were closed.
✅The room was dark because the curtains were closed.
💡this sense suggests a heavy, troubling mood, not simple lack of light.
❌The poster used brooding colors to look cheerful.
✅The poster used dark colors to look cheerful.
💡'brooding' clashes with a bright, happy mood.