sullen
\ˈsʌ.lən\
The verdict
“sullen” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency French
- 6
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Renfrogné.
Corpus desk
Index FR-sullen · sullen · French
sullen · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 6 letters
- VOW-2 2 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "S" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | sullen |
| Language | French |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | \ˈsʌ.lən\ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Longue queue: rang de « sullen » en français
Rare enough to double-check
sullen is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed \ˈsʌ.lən\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for sullen, suggesting the orthography follows predictable French patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is sullen, spelled S-U-L-L-E-N.
Definition
- 1Renfrogné.
- 2Obstiné, têtu.
- 3Maussade, morose.
- 4Morne.
- 5Lent.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how sullen appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
sullen manner, sulking attitude
John May was of a morose and surly disposition, not easily moved to anger, but having an uncommon gift of sullen, implacable hate.
Synonyms
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.