sullen
sul·len/ˈsʌlən/adjective, noun
sullen is spelled S-U-L-L-E-N: 6 letters and 2 syllables (sul·len). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, sullen means “Having a brooding ill temper; sulky” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in sullen?
| Letters | 6: S-U-L-L-E-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: sul·len |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,154th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is sullen?
Sullen appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce sullen?
- /ˈsʌlən/
Sullen has 2 syllables, split sul·len in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-sullen.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of sullen
- sullener comparative
- sullenest superlative
- sullens plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- sullening participle, present
- sullened participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does sullen mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Having a brooding ill temper; sulky.
- 2
Gloomy; dismal; foreboding.
a sullen atmosphere
- 3
Sluggish; slow.
- 4
obsoleteMischievous; malignant; unpropitious.
- 5
obsoleteObstinate; intractable.
noun
- 1
archaicOne who is solitary, or lives alone; a hermit.
- 2
Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo make sullen.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Sullen in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | maussade, morose , morne , lent |
| German | mürrisch, schlecht gelaunt, sauer, missmutig, übellaunig, unfreundlich |
| Portuguese | carrancudo , sombrio , lento |
| Spanish | hosco, huraño, fosco |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does sullen come from?
From Middle English soleyn, from Anglo-Norman soleyn (“alone”), from Old French sole (“single, sole, alone”), from Latin sōlus (“by oneself alone”). The change in meaning from "single" to morose occurred in Middle English.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).