adjective / noun
brooding
BROOD-ing/ˈbruːdɪŋ/
Absorbed in gloomy or anxious thought.
Her brooding silence continues long after the argument ends.
Etymology
To brood originally meant to sit on eggs, then figuratively to nurse thoughts or resentment in the mind. Brooding carries that image of lingering over something into a dark, anxious, or menacing mood.
In context
this is a brooding atmospheric character piece set for the most part in a dark shadowy world which contrasts with the airy likeness and hope of the scenes at the end of the film
More examples
- A walk interrupted his unproductive brooding.
- The film's brooding atmosphere made even quiet scenes feel threatening.
- He stared out the window with a brooding expression.
Forms
brooding
Similar words
- pensive
- Thoughtful, often sadly so, brooding suggests more persistent dark preoccupation.