as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
a dour prison guard who didn't look like he'd be very understanding
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dour
Sauer’s optimism seems almost to be intended as a rebuke to the dour ideal of intellectual seriousness that runs from such canonical thinkers as Arthur Schopenhauer in the nineteenth century to Theodor Adorno in the twentieth.
—
Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Of the nearly 6 in 10 concerned about starting their careers, most (63%) cite stiff competition for jobs as their reason for their dour outlook.
—Christine Y. Cruzvergara, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Despite the dour setting, just seeing one of the many film versions or reading the story again evokes feelings of warmth, generosity and Christmas cheer.
—Nicole Russell, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
This is also the main theme of the new Paramount+ drama The Agency, which has an all-star cast, but also confusing plotting and an almost oppressively dour tone.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dour 
Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
Of the nearly 6 in 10 concerned about starting their careers, most (63%) cite stiff competition for jobs as their reason for their dour outlook.
—Christine Y. Cruzvergara, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Despite the dour setting, just seeing one of the many film versions or reading the story again evokes feelings of warmth, generosity and Christmas cheer.
—Nicole Russell, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
This is also the main theme of the new Paramount+ drama The Agency, which has an all-star cast, but also confusing plotting and an almost oppressively dour tone.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
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The wartime leader became a global icon for his gruff fortitude in the opening stages of the war, but his domestic popularity has since dipped.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Anderson recalled, adopting a gruff tone and pointing toward the audience.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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What remains unchanged, though, is the grim reality that in healthcare, poorer care still often translates to higher revenue.—
Renee Hsia,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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Thanks to the air pollution caused in large part by fossil fuels, 7 million people around the world die early each year, and that grim tally includes hundreds of thousands of Americans.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Commenting on the matter via Movistar, Madrid legend and respected pundit Jorge Valdano suggested that Vinicius needs to be taken to one side and given some stern advice.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
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Don’t be surprised if you get pulled over for driving with snow and ice on your roof and are given a stern warning.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Just one decade later, he's become one of Meta's fiercest competitors BYMarco Quiroz-Gutierrez January 15, 2025 7 hours ago Personal Finance A woman purchased a vacant Hawaiian lot for about $22,000.—
Chloe Berger,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2025
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Rubio was a fierce Trump critic during the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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These include the rugged Prombron Black Stallion CLV, which will be built on a General Motors platform, and the high-performance Prombron Iron Stallion, which is based on the Lamborghini Urus.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
15 Jan. 2025
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Travelers can use nearby Joshua Tree as their home base while hiking Chuckwalla’s Painted Canyon trail in Mecca Hills or while exploring the rugged Orocopia Mountains.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Matt Harrison, president of Kuka Home North America, which has a furniture manufacturing base in Monterrey, fears the future could be bleak.—
David Culver,
CNN,
18 Jan. 2025
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The negotiations have seemingly stalled and the market for him is bleak.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Learning new skills Technology advancements may feel intimidating but can be learned.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
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Bob Veale, one of the most intimidating pitchers of the 1960s who is credited with inventing a popular baseball saying, passed away at age 89.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Aber’s book is successful in showing that self-hatred is the fruit not of a few particular traumas but rather of a hostile environment’s erosive drip on the psyche.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2025
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Both saw themselves as outsiders in a hostile environment.—
Ruth Margalit,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near dour
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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