lowering
Word family
- lowerverbA2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All five words describe a dim or forbidding appearance, but lowering is the most specific to the sky and carries a sense of imminent danger. Dark is the broadest term, referring simply to absence of light. Gloomy adds emotional weight — a gloomy sky makes one feel sad or depressed. Overcast is purely factual: clouds cover the sky, with no emotional overtone. Threatening implies active harm or danger, so a threatening sky warns of a storm. Menacing is similar but suggests a more personal, hostile intent; it is more common in fiction than in weather reports. A lowering sky is not just dark but feels heavy, angry, and ready to break into a storm. For example: 'The lowering sky over the village made everyone hurry indoors' carries more urgency than 'The overcast sky over the village made everyone hurry indoors.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The adjective lowering comes from an older English verb 'lower' (sometimes spelled 'lour'), which meant 'to frown, scowl, or look sullen.' This verb appeared in Middle English around the 13th century, likely from Middle Low German 'lūren' (to lie in wait, frown). By the 16th century, writers began using it to describe the weather — a sky that looks as dark and threatening as an angry person's face. The spelling 'lowering' (with 'we') became standard in the 18th century, perhaps influenced by the unrelated verb 'lower' (to let down).