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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Recent Examples of dour
With his thick glasses, mop of hair and dour disposition, Robert is unrecognizable to fans who only know Cohen as an antics-prone comedian.
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Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Amazon’s expensive fantasy epic The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power is now a couple weeks behind us, as Season 2 ended on a dour note.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
The combo looks smart and professional, but the colors are a little on the dour side, at least by Kornacki standards.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
For as bleak as some of the material reads as poetry, however, the performances never felt dour.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dour 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dour
Adjective
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The gruff verses in the latter still convey the sense that Shinoda thrives with an alternatingly coarser and softer vocal counterpart.Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
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Jason Isaacs brings gruff humor and gravitas to Doyle’s character, while Haley Joel Osment’s optimistic portrayal of Chet balances the film’s tone.Charlie Fink, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That knowledge adds additional layers of defiance and bravery to this grim tale, which incorporates actual protest footage and video of police brutality to amplify the narrative’s verisimilitude.Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
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Commentators speculated that numerous suppliers in the car industry would inevitably have to slash salaries in an already grim job market in the new year.Juliana Liu, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Unable to find the individual, Bryan delivered a stern warning instead.Angel Saunders, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024
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Montgomery based the story of Anne in part on her own upbringing, after her mother died and her father left her with her stern grandparents in Cavendish on the north shore of the island.Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Mistakes are commonplace in the chaos and horror of a battlefield, yet this openness and candor is rare from troops who a year earlier would have spoken with fierce pride about Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region.Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024
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Even harder than acting fairly and impartially would be appearing to have done so, in a conflict that stirs fierce passions the world over.Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Made from 100 percent goat suede, the mid-weight Bandera offers a classic, timeless look that blends rugged durability with natural softness.Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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Truck Ford Ranger: Ford’s popular midsize pickup added a Raptor performance model this year, complementing the rugged looks, utility and advanced features. Ram 1500: Ram’s flagship continues to raise the bar for full-size pickup design.Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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As my colleague Meg James wrote, this is the latest bleak sign for the long-beleaguered pay-TV business, which continues to lose subscribers by the millions.Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
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This ebullience, however, required keeping bleak thoughts at bay.Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Intense and intimidating, the chute is for the brave skiers willing to seemingly defy gravity.Elise Taylor, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024
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What scares drivers Motorists indicated that driving on the opposite side of the road is the most intimidating factor about driving abroad.Monica Pitrelli, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Oasis endured a hostile split in 2009, after years of headlines related to the Gallagher siblings’ fierce rivalry.Sophie Williams, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2024
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As Assad’s government teetered on the brink of collapse, Hezbollah stepped in decisively to safeguard the regime and prevent the emergence of a new regime in Damascus that would be hostile to the axis.Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dour
Cite this Entry
“Dour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dour. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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