- gloom
- noun1 sadnessADJECTIVE▪ deep▪
She was in a deep gloom because not even a postcard had arrived from Ricky.
▪ general (esp. BrE)▪ economic▪the general economic gloom
VERB + GLOOM▪ be filled with, be sunk in, sink into▪He was sunk in deep gloom at the prospect of being alone.
▪I sank into gloom and depression.
▪ fill sb with▪The news filled me with gloom.
▪ cast▪Talk of his ill health cast gloom over the celebrations.
▪ dispel, lift (esp. BrE)▪efforts to dispel their gloom
GLOOM + VERB▪ deepen, descend (both esp. BrE)▪Their gloom deepened as the election results came in.
▪She felt gloom descend on her shoulders.
▪ lift▪When the gloom finally lifts, the pessimists will be surprised at how much has been going right.
PREPOSITION▪ in gloom▪The nation was deep in gloom.
▪ gloom about▪There is a general gloom about the farming industry.
PHRASES▪ doom and gloom, gloom and despondency (BrE)▪Despite falling demand, the year has not been all doom and gloom.
▪the darkest feelings of gloom and despondency
2 darknessADJECTIVE▪ deep▪ deepening, descending, gathering▪He peered into the gathering gloom.
▪ cold, damp▪ evening▪The fog looked ominous in the evening gloom.
VERB + GLOOM▪ penetrate, pierce▪The sound of distant police whistles pierced the gloom.
▪ adjust to, become accustomed to, get accustomed to▪Slowly, my eyes became accustomed to the gloom.
▪ peer into, peer throughGLOOM + VERB▪ deepen (BrE), descend▪We sat and watched as the gloom descended.
PREPOSITION▪ in the gloom▪We lost sight of them in the gloom.
▪ into the gloom▪She watched him disappear into the gloom.
▪ out of the gloom▪Two figures materialized out of the gloom.
▪ through the gloom▪She could see the house faintly through the gloom.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
